Anything For You
by Sabam
Summary: Her perfect kiss at fifteen shared with the boy she has been in love with all her life but a misunderstanding was enough to shatter her heart.With the help of their friends,two stubborn people must come to beleive in true love. *AU-Squinoa*
1. Remembering Kisses

_Disclaimer: I do not own FF8 or any of its characters._

**~Chapter 1: Remembering Kisses~**

The 15 year-old Rinoa Heartilly sat, arms crossed, at one out of fifty large round tables of the reception room. Music rang in her ears and her eyes scanned the room. _He_ was not there. Over hundreds of people were there but she had not seen _him_ specifically and that made her stomach twist and churn. It was so boring if _he_ wasn't there.

She spotted her father, General Caraway chatting vividly with the president of Esthar and the Galbadian Garden headmaster. Politics. She hated these gatherings. The yearly gathering where all politicians of Galbadia, Trabia and Esthar would gather and chat about nonsense.

Every year, she was forced to come along, behave and chat nicely with the wives of political figures. _Boring._ It was also this time of year, which she was forced to eat seafood. She hated seafood. It looked bad, smelt bad and tasted bad. She thought for a moment. 

_"It completely corrupts three out of five senses,"_ She thought. _"Actually, if I was to hold a fish in my hands it would probably feel nasty too. And fish don't talk so they bore my ears. There you go, five out of five senses corrupted." _

However, these types of parties were not that bad. After all, it was these horrid gatherings that had presented her Squall Leonheart. But he wasn't here tonight and it was so boring without him. 

Every year, ever since they were kids, they caused havoc among the room. Last year that had entrapped a spider in a serving tray. The spider had sneaked into the clam chowder of a dignified lieutenant's wife and when the cover had been lifted a loud shriek could be heard.

They had needed to hide out in the hallway when the waiter had mumbled excuses over and over. The poor fellow had also gotten fired.

She put her elbow on the table and held her chin the palm of her hands. She didn't care whether it looked polite or not, she was so bored.

Another disadvantage of these stupid parties were the fact that she had to wear a dress. She looked down at her beige dress. The silk straps were tied behind her neck, the dress fit her curves beautifully and ended right above her knee.

Her mother had picked it out. She scowled slightly. She was very uncomfortable.

She sat there for a few more minutes and then felt a hand being slipped on her shoulder. She turned around to face cool, blue eyes, short brown hair and the smooth young face of the seventeen-year-old Squall Leonheart.

He smirked at her slightly and she smiled back. "Ready for some mischief?" His eyes gleamed. 

"About time you got here. Where were you?" She stood up looking into his pale eyes reproachfully.

He blushed slightly, "Sorry … SeeD party."

"I'm sure." She rolled her eyes and took him by the hand, leading him out of the room.

"So what should we do?" She asked.

There was a slight pause as the two teenagers thought. Squall snapped his fingers and smiled at his companion.

"The punch bowl." He rubbed his hands together excitedly.

She raised an eyebrow, "What about it?"

"Let's add something to it!" He whispered.

Letting herself be led, she entered the kitchen silently behind Squall. He began rummaging through the cupboards.

"Tabasco sauce?" He asked.

"Nah …" Rinoa shrugged.

"Vinegar?" He asked again, rummaging still.

She didn't answer. She looked curiously at a nearby pile of fish guts. "Squall …" She said.

"Yah?" He turned around and met her eyes that were signaling the pile of guts.

"Ew …" He whispered.

"Yah I know!" She squealed. 

He grinned and examined the disgusting pile of remains. "Isn't there suppose to be a grand toast to Vinzer? The new President of Galbadia?"

"Yes … notice that big oriental style lantern tied to the top of the cathedral ceiling? It's filled with confetti and it suppose to explode out at exactly midnight."

They exchanged a look. Squall grinned helplessly and then added, "We only have twenty minutes! Come one!" 

She went and got a big garbage bag from under a sink and checked if any waiter or cook was coming. The course was clear. They were probably gone to hear the toast to Vinzer Deling. 

The two accomplices carefully dumped the fish remains into the bag and Squall began to drag it out of the kitchen. 

Rinoa opened up a deserted stairwell and they began to semi-carry and semi-drag the bag up. 

"So what have you been up to lately?" Squall asked trying to make conversation on the excruciatingly long way up.

"Oh nothing much. Going to school." She replied.

"Isn't it fun?" He asked sarcastically.

"I'm not sure if your referring to carrying fish guts or school but one thing for sure is that neither are really amusing right now." She replied.

They finally reached the top floor. It was a small passageway that went around the top of the ceiling. The great lantern covered the immense hole that would have otherwise, looked straight down into the ballroom. 

"There isn't that much confetti in there …" Squall remarked, looking down into the contents of the lantern.

"I know, it's because it's a nuisance. Just mixed the guts in, it'll be fine." Rinoa suggested.

"Guess so." And so he dumped the contents in, making sure to spread it out evenly. 

"This stuff smell like crap." Rinoa grimaced.

"So I noticed." Squall agreed.

After emptying out the whole bag Squall just threw it down on the ground and grabbed her waist. 

"Let's go." He warned.

"Yah …" She replied, slightly taken aback by his touch.

They descended the, what seemed to be, never ending stairs and went back into the hall just in time for Vinzer Deling's great speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Good evening!" He paused for the applause that followed. "I would like to thank you all for attending this special yearly gathering and for having voted for me and my party."

He continued, "I promise the country of Galbadia and its surrounding nations that I will make you all proud."

"I can't believe you have such a dipshit as a president." Squall grimaced.

She didn't reply so he continued, "Move with me to Balamb."

Rinoa raised an eyebrow in pure shock, "Yah right …" She stifled a laugh as the president continued his speech.

"As we ring in the New Year that I have yet to wish you, I promise you only this for tonight. Now in ten seconds the clocks will strike twelve."

"We better get out." Squall hissed and darted out of the room.

"Agreed!" Rinoa whispered back and exited.

"So this is my promise … let us party!!"

And the lantern opened to reveal its contents. Out came the confetti … and the fish guts. As the confetti lightly snowed its way down, the fish guts (being the heavier matter) simply splattered all over the room. Some parts landed in wine glasses, atop people's heads and in women's cleavage.

Some fish guts even had confetti stuck to it. The woman screeched and the men cursed aloud but no one could explain this phenomenon.

She and Squall were outside the door laughing hysterically. Thinking it would be better to retreat to another hallway before they were caught, they moved eastward through a rose wood door and ended up in an empty dining room.

They continued to laugh hysterically as yelling, shrieking and swearing could still be heard from the other room.

"Oh Hyne! That'll be all over the papers tomorrow!" Rinoa leaned against the wall for support.

He approached her slowly, putting his two hands on each side of her waist, pressing her against the wall.

"Squall?" She asked slightly confused. She looked at the handsome young man in the black and blue Balamb SeeD attire. 

He leaned forward ever so slightly and brushed his lips against hers. She closed her eyes as he closed the momentary gap between their lips and plunged in a kiss. 

A perfect moment for two people of ten seconds, an invisible bond. 

She kissed back slowly and he slipped his hands on her waist. Her hands were placed gently on his chest.

Her first kiss at fifteen. One she couldn't forget, one that she though he forgot to remember.

Sammy-Chan: Hey hey! This was the first chapter; I hope it wasn't too boring. Yes, there will be more chapters coming soon so don't push! I'll probably post another during the Christmas holidays. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE read and review! Thank you!


	2. Scheduled First Date

_Disclaimer: I have researched for hours and hours to find the perfect disclaimer. A disclaimer that would be short but to the point. Here is the result:_

**_I do not own FF8 or any of its characters._**

****

****

**~Chapter 2: Scheduled First Date~**

****

The warm breeze brushed against his face as he stepped out of the train. He scanned the horizon. The desert. 

"Wow isn't is pretty." He thought sarcastically, "What kind of hicks could possibly live here? Oh that's right, my good friend Sefeir Almasy."

The commander had been assigned by headmaster Cid himself to enter negotiations with Galbadia Garden. Some sort of 'exchange student' program. What a waste of time and effort. Sefeir wasn't exactly the type of person to come to a fair conclusion.

He sighed heavily and stepped down the first few stairs of the Galbadia train station. He saw many students get up to take the train heading for Deling.

"Don't you think he's so cute though? I mean such a charmer." He overheard an energetic 17-year-old say.

"Big talker." Concluded a tall, blond 18 year old. "Don't you think so Rin?"

The three girls were passing by him now. _Rin_? He spun around and grabbed the girl nearest to him, the girl with raven hair.

"Rinoa?" He asked.

The girl spun around a little shocked, "Uh … Squall?"

He smiled, "Hey! Long time no see."

She seemed uncomfortable. Her two friends gaped at the attractive SeeD Commander. "You don't come to the New Year parties anymore." Squall stated.

"Yah well, I don't like seafood." Rinoa stumbled for an excuse. _"No actually, it's because you're a bastard." _She thought.

"Oh really? And might I ask what you three are doing at Galbadia Garden?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Not that it's any of your business but Selphie came to visit someone." Rinoa managed to mask her annoyance. He was beginning to remind her of her father.

"Ok, ok." He smiled, "It's been two years since I saw you."

"Yeah, I guess." She felt her face getting hot. She hated being reminded about what had happened two years ago.

"So anyways, you should go catch your train." He acknowledged.

"Yah, we should. It was nice to see you again." She waved slightly and climbed the remaining steps to the train.

"Oh Rinoa!" He called, "You know that there's chicken on the menu? It's not only seafood. Give it a try, come this year!"

Before she could even think, the words were out of her mouth, "I'll be there!"

***

"He is _so_ hot!" Quistis clutched her heart. "How come you know him?"

Rinoa sat at the opposite side of the compartment, "My father is a General, and he's SeeD Commander. Make the connection."

"He doesn't have Irvine's way of speaking but he's got the looks to make up for it!" Selphie squealed. 

"Have you ever … engaged in a type of relationship with him?" Asked Quistis innocently.

"No." Rinoa lied. "He's a bastard and I don't like him."

"Liar." Selphie taunted bouncing up and down on the train.

"If you keep doing that Selphie you might derail the compartment. _Stay still._" Rinoa looked out of the window. 

  
Obeying her friend's command, Selphie sat next to Quistis and they began observing Rinoa. 

"You like him." Quistis said simply. "I mean, even _I_ like him." She giggled helplessly.

Rinoa rolled her eyes in annoyance, "You guys wouldn't understand, he's got a girlfriend."

"Oooh …" Selphie said comprehensively, "But you like him?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Once. Actually, I thought he liked me." Rinoa gave up more of her emotions that she anticipated.

"Well, maybe he did. I mean, were there signs?" Quistis put on her psychiatrist persona.

Rinoa sneered, "Yah for one, he kissed me."

Both girls' jaw dropped, "Was he a good kisser?"

"Amazing." Rinoa said sarcastically, "He's _so_ hot so he _must_ be a good kisser." She mocked. "I'll bet he's amazing in bed too! Why don't _you_ try him out Quistis?"

"Ok, ok!" Quistis said defensively, a bit shocked by Rinoa's sarcasm, "I didn't mean it that way. But he is good-looking and don't deny it."

"Doesn't take away the fact that he's a bastard." Rinoa snapped.

There was a slight silence, "Erm … I'm sorry, what did he do to you again?"

"Oh forget it!" Rinoa threw her hands up in exasperation. 

"So I'm guessing your going to that party tomorrow." Selphie observed.

"I guess. I said I would go so, I guess I'm going."

"Good! Let's shop till we drop in Deling so you'll be all ready to see that _extremely_ sexy guy tomorrow." Quistis clapped her hands excitedly.

***

Squall entered Galbadia Garden and grabbed the nearest student by the back of his shirt.

"I'm here to see the Commander of the Garden so tell him to hurry up." He said off-handedly.

The student quickly mumbled, "Right sir, I'll contact a staff member."

Squall sighed a flicked a few strands of hair out of his eyes. It was great to see _her _again. She had grown up a bit. A little taller and a little more developed.

Squall closed his eyes in embarrassment. _"Aw shit, I promised myself I __wouldn't think of her like that. _

He sat down on the nearest bench awaiting the arrival of Sefeir. He had better get here soon. Squall didn't like to be kept waiting.

"Commander Puberty! Nice to see you!" The blond headed, 6" commander called.

Squall stood up and crossed his arms. Some students turned around to stare, "Nice to see you too." He faked enthusiasm. 

As Squall got close enough Sefeir said inoffensively, "Saw Rinoa this morning. Was accompanying some chick that came to see that dumbass, Irvine."

"I saw her at the train station." Squall grinned, "She likes _me_." 

"In your dreams." Sefeir smirked, "So shall we get down to business?" 

***

"So are you coming tomorrow night?" Julia perceived the answer but bothered to ask anyways.

"Yes, I am." Rinoa looked up from her supper.

"Oh, well that's nice, you have something to wear?" Julia said, surprised.

"Yup." Rinoa responded.

Caraway looked up from his pasta and stared at his daughter closely. She noticed after a few moments and stared back, "What are you looking at?"

"Do you remember that fish incident from two years ago?" Her father asked suspiciously.

Rinoa's heart skipped a beat, "Yes …" She gulped, "I wasn't in the room though, I was with Squall."

_"Oh good job Rinoa, make it sound really wrong!"_ She thought, _"Well, you might not be blamed for the fish guts but then you'll start rumors about you and Squall!"_

"Do you remember the incident with Lieutenant Grey's wife and her food tray? That was three years ago." The interrogation continued.

"Yes …" Rinoa literally saw her life flash before her eyes.

"Have you ever wondered why these stupidities happen every single year? Except for when you _don't_ attend?"

Rinoa stood up abruptly, "Well, I have to go walk Angelo! I'll see you later!" She rushed out of the room in the search of her German Shepard.

"_So_ guilty." Muttered her father from his cup of tea.

"Oh give her a break, honey." Julia laughed slightly.

The General grimaced, "I think I might start marriage plans."

Julia nearly choked on her potatoes, "What?" She screeched, "That's so old fashioned, I don't think she's ready for this."

"I don't want her ending up with a bum on the street, Julia." He countered. "How about Melvin Tribal, you know the son of-"

Julia interrupted, "Have you thought of what the children will look like?!" She screeched, "Oh yes the eyes of their mother, the silky hair but the face of someone who walked out of the movie 'Planet of the Apes'!! Did you see the hair on that child, dear Hyne!! Think darling, think!!"

General Caraway laughed and reconsidered, "Fine, fine, how about Sefeir Almasy?"

There was a short silence that Julia quickly broke, "I fail to see the difference between him and a bum."

Caraway sighed once again, "Hyne, Julia. Do _you_ have any suggestions?"

"Yes, as a matter a fact I do." Julia said happily, "Let _her_ choose!"

"But what if she ends up with someone who looks like the Pillsbury Dough Boy?!" Caraway demanded.

"Then we should be happy. At least we'll know she loves him and besides. Fat children are so cute." Julia then singed-songed, "Pillsbury, my heart to yours!"

"Oh good Hyne." Caraway got up from his chair, "I have work to do."

***

Rinoa anxiously played with her silver chain encircling her neck. She once again found herself scrutinizing the room for Squall Leonheart. 

Her knee-length dress was really annoying her. "_Why is it that the pretty things are always so annoying_?" She thought.

The worst part was that he wasn't here and that she had been forced to eat seafood … again. 

"_I can't believe you were stupid enough to assume that a place called 'Exquisite Lobster' would serve chicken._" She scowled to herself, "_You're a big dumbass_." 

Looking around the room once more she saw the famous Balambian SeeD outfit and she strode towards it being extra careful not to trip and fall on her face with her needle high heels.

She lightly tapped the dark haired man on the shoulder. Squall Leonheart spun around to face a pissed off looking Rinoa.

"Wow you're all big!" He said remarking the few added inches with the shoes.

She perceived it in the wrong way, "Excuse me?" Her voice held a tone of shock.

"No!" Squall said quickly, "I meant … your shoes. I-"

"There was no chicken." She said accusingly.

"Oh really?" He questioned with fake surprise, "I was sure there was chicken, there was last year. I remember clearly seeing it on the-"

"There was no chicken." She repeated icily.

"I'm really, really sorry," He said gravely, "I definitely owe you a supper of chicken. I've heard about this great place in Balamb. It just opened up. I'd be honored if you'd accompany me to a movie and a dinner."

"Are you asking me out?" She said incredulously. 

"I believe I am." Squall answered.

"You … have a girlfriend." Rinoa managed to stammer. 

Squall raised an eyebrow questioningly, "Where'd you hear that? Ok, whatever. If you don't accept my invitation I'll have to _accidentally _let it slip to Melvin Tribal that you've got a crush on him."

Rinoa wrinkled her nose, "The guy that looks like a monkey?"

"Yup, if you turn around right now he is staring at you very intently. His eyes are specifically narrowed on your ass. I think he would make a move on you if he had the confidence that you liked him." Squall grinned.

"Is that a threat?" Rinoa winced slightly.

"Nah," Squall reassured her, "It's just a statement. So, I'll pick you up at 5 p.m. Saturday?"

"Are you kidding? No." Rinoa spat.

"Well, I guess I'll go see Melvin now." He brushed past her and she grabbed onto his arm.

"Ok, ok! Fine. What movie?" 

Sammy-Chan: Wow, another chapter. I think I'm really getting into this story. Well, you'll be hearing more from me during the Christmas break!! Please review my fanfic!! Thank you all! Oh and by the way: I do not own Pillsbury Dough Boy … or Planet of the Apes for that matter. Nor do I want to.


	3. First Date

Disclaimer: I am proud to say that I own FF8 … Ok, Ok, I do not own FF8 or any of its characters.

**~Chapter 3: First Date ~**

Squall paced around his office, pondering about which movie to go see. His only companion was the Galbadian Garden commander, Sefeir.

"I can't take her to something with lots of fighting and I don't want to be stuck seeing some romance flick." He stated.

"Take her to see um … a comedy. Something that she'll laugh at." Sefeir suggested and he sat down in the Balambian Commander's chair, propping his feet up on the desk.

Squall scowled, "You'll get shit all over my papers!"

"Oh, sorry." Said Sefeir but made no move to remove his feet.

There was a slight pause and Sefeir then said, "So um, who are you taking to this movie anyways? Sarah?"

"No … Rinoa." Squall said while leaning on the desk.

Sefeir nodded and made a slight gesture with his hand, "You know, I've known you since we were kids, you know? Never really liked you but you've found this special place in my heart …"

"You remember when we were twelve, right? Rinoa was ten and you had met her at the New Year party that I never attended and probably never will. Well, we all met up in the summer and … we had fun."

Squall didn't know where Sefeir was going with this but he listened intently, "We did all kinds of shit. Remember the time we _accidentally_ set McGreggor's barn on fire?"

Squall nodded slowly, "Well, you know she's become like a little sister to me! I mean, I don't like her in _that _way but I still care about her. Honestly, I'm saying this but you actually _deserve_ her only I've found one itsy bitsy flaw in your relationship."

Squall gestured for him to go on, "YOU'RE EN-"

"That small tiny flaw is completely, utterly insignificant. I've solved the problem … erm … sort of." He said smiling slightly.

"You're a bastard." Sefeir scoffed.

Squall countered, "I will solve the problem. I will, trust me, I promise."

"That's what you said when you crashed your first car at sixteen." Sefeir smirked, "It was a Corvette, remember? The red one."

"Oh, you mean the one we crashed into a ditch?" Squall mused.

"Yes, the one _you _drove into a ditch." Sefeir continued smiling, "The _other one_ met its final moment when we were drunk and hit a traffic light."

***

"So you're going out with him?" Quistis didn't look up from her hand that rested on Rinoa's desk. She applied a thin coat of nail polish.

From her bed, Rinoa stood up and walked to the bay window. "No, it's just for one night. You know, the typical movie and dinner."

"Right …" Responded Quistis half absent-mindedly. "Movie and dinner."

"He threatened me into going out with him." She stated.

Quistis finally looked up from her work, "Wow, he really does like you." Then added apprehensively, "Are you going to sleep with him?"

Rinoa gave Quistis a death glare, "What do I look like, a prostitute?"

"Relax, hun." Quistis rolled her eyes, "I mean if you like the guy why not just 'go for it'?"

"This isn't a question of liking, it's _beyond_ liking!" Rinoa said helplessly. "I'm _so_ in love with him it hurts!! I love him so much I want to kill him!" 

Quistis' eyes went wider and then she added, "Talk about obsession."

"It's not about obsession." Rinoa retorted, "It's like he ripped my heart out, then said 'Whoops!' and now he's trying to put it back in and it hurts!!!"

"Ok!" Quistis temper flared, "Tell me what the hell is going on, I don't know the whole story and I would sure as hell like to be informed."

"You wouldn't understand." Rinoa practically sobbed. "I'm really in love with him."

Quistis rubbed her temples, "Then what the fuck is the problem? You've got a date with the guy, he seems to like you and you sure seem to like him!"

"See?" Rinoa pointed out, "You don't understand."

"Then explain." Quistis said apprehensively. 

Rinoa took a deep breath, "It just happened. One morning I woke up and I knew I was in love with him. He's just … I don't know. Maybe I liked his way of speaking, his looks, his personality. I don't know."

She made a gesture of impatience with her hand, "It was one of those school girl crushes, I realize but then a couple of weeks later when he kissed me … it just…" Rinoa tried to explain it in words but failed.

"Ok, but what went wrong?" Quistis asked.

Rinoa sighed, "Well, two weeks later …"

***

Squall stood waiting on the other side of the street. Buses rushed passed, crossing each other's paths, embarking passengers and dropping them off. He'd told her he was picking her up at five; it was now five thirty. What the hell was she doing?

He bit his bottom lip nervously. Maybe she decided she didn't feel like coming. He looked across the road to the Caraway mansion. A Galbadian guard stood at his post, not moving. He looked like a suit of armor, there for exterior decoration. 

Finally the large double doors opened and Rinoa stepped out. Spotting Squall across the street, she crossed and went up to meet him.

"Are you telling me we're walking?" She asked as a way of greeting, spotting no car.

"I, uh, thought we could rent one." Squall said, "You can make it to the rental station? I know it's cold but I've been waiting for you for thirty minutes." He smiled.

"Maybe it's not a good time to tell you, but it was on purpose." And she stuck out her tongue.

"Oh you're nice." He replied sarcastically, "Anyways, you want me to carry you to the station?"

She stepped away disdainfully, "You want me to kick you in the balls?"

"As if you ever would." He began walking.

Rinoa glared at him, "Is that a dare?"

Sensing danger he began jogging, "No!"

She ran after him, picking up snow on her way and packing it into a ball. She threw it at him with all the force she could muster. It hit him in the back of the head.

"Oh you are _so_ going to pay!" He turned around and began gathering snow. Forming a large enough weapon, he chucked it at his target, which darted to the left, escaping the snowball's trail.

"Missed." Her eyebrows rose it mocked shock, "The Balambian commander, can't even throw a snowball with aim. Tsk, tsk!"

He began to run back after her and she yelped slightly and ran the opposite way towards the Deling city park. Unknowingly stepping on a small patch of ice she skated clumsily to a snow bank before falling over on her back.

Squall began to laugh insanely, clutching his stomach that was getting sore. He began walking over to help her up when he slipped as well and fell on his rear. It was her turn to laugh.

"Ow." He whined, "That's going to leave a bruise."

Giving her the best death glare he could, he stood up slowly. "You're laughing at me?"

Trying to retain her laughter was not an easy task, "No …" She said biting the inside of her mouth.

"I'm gunna kick that cute lil ass of yours and then-" He didn't have time to finish his sentence when he slipped and fell again.

She burst out into hysterics again. Squall stood up again and shook himself off haughtily and this time, slowly walked towards her and entrapped her against the snow bank she was now leaning against. 

"You know, you're beautiful when laugh?" He said romantically.

She countered jokingly, "You know you look like an ass when you fall on yours?"

He leaned in to kiss her but she pushed him away deliberately. "Didn't you make reservations? And don't we have a movie to catch, not to mention a car to rent?"

He distanced himself from her, "Yeah I guess."

***

"So, what have you been up to these last past years?"

Rinoa shrugged and responded with her regular, "Going to school."

Squall rolled his eyes, "Besides that? Any other events?"

People around them were chatting amicably; utensils were clinking together as people ate what they ordered. 

Sitting near a picture window at a table for two, Rinoa shrugged once more. "Um, well … nothing really incredible."

"Something _has_ to have happened!" Squall urged her to consider.

She pondered for a few minutes, "I don't know. What about you?"

Squall sighed but decided to answer, "Well there's always new things happening in Garden. A stupid jackass was acting all cool to impress his girlfriend by killing a baby t-rexaur … then nearly shit his pants when the mother came after him."

Rinoa smiled slightly as Squall continued, "Triple Triad, the card game is getting to be real popular now which answers why this dumbass started this fight with this other dumbass on who's deck was better."

"Oh, the joys of going to a private girl school." Rinoa said.

Squall smirked, "Not really. There you've got these girly fights on which guy belongs to whom."

"At least they aren't fighting over a card game." Rinoa mocked.

"What about school," Squall changed the subject, "How are you doing in school?"

"Squall, you sound like my uncle. Cut it out." Rinoa stated.

"Ok … um, talk to Sefeir lately?" He attempted a conversation again.

Rinoa shook her head, "I was going to go see him when we went to Galbadia garden but I think he was busy. You?"

"Yah, I keep in regular contact since … you know, we're both commanders." Then his eyes lit up, "Oh yah! Next summer we plan on going camping with a couple of other people. You can invite your friends or something."

She smiled slightly, "Yah I guess I'll think about it."

***

The movie theater was dark, the only light coming from the giant illuminated screen. The movie was going to be a comedy … or so he had told her. 

She couldn't entirely concentrate on the movie; his presence next to her took up 89% of her attention. 

She nearly jumped out of her skin when he reached his arm across to her drink holder. She smacked his hand away.

"That's my drink." She whispered.

"I know but I finished mine and I'm really thirsty." He had a pleading look on his face that she could just identify with the help of the light emitted from the screen.

"I guess that's too bad." She whispered back and stuck out her tongue at him.

Being able to identify her facial expression as well, he seized the opportunity and kissed her eagerly.

(AN: I thought saying 'passionately' sounded corny so I looked up a synonym and I found 'eagerly' which could also be interpreted as 'fervently'.)

She kissed back, but her mind set off alarms, _"What are you doing?"_ and _"You really want to get hurt again, don't you?"_

She pushed him away slightly and awkwardly. She thanked Hyne that they were in one of the back rows.

***

"Thanks for taking me out." Rinoa said as they arrived near the Caraway mansion.

Squall shrugged, "You want to do it again sometime?"

"Squall I …" She began but she couldn't finish.

He looked at her as if begging her to go on, so she did. "It's just that … you hurt me. Two years ago and … I don't think it would ever work out. You …"

She searched for words but the only cruel, untruthful syllables she strung together were, "You aren't my type. I …" Not knowing what to saw any more she softly kissed him on the lips and looking one last time in his pale, hurt eyes she turned …

And left him standing in the commencing storm …

Sammy-Chan: Whee … chapter three! Hey that rhymed, gimme a dime! Ok, I'm sorry if that was sad (and I mean boo-hoo sad or 'that sucked' type of sad). I promise to update soon. Hmm … anyone wondering how this sentence ends, "YOU'RE EN-" Hee, hee … you shall soon find out. Please review, thank you. Hey that rhymed gimme a- *Gets knocked out by a flying boulder*


	4. Storm of Anger

Disclaimer: I do not own FF8 … oh, what a big surprise. So do not sue me because I will send rabid monkeys after you.

**~Chapter 4: Storm of Anger~**

Rinoa tiptoed her way up the stairway to her room. A nice shower and a good night sleep would be comforting. Or at least it would temporarily ease the pain gnawing at her mind, spirit and heart. 

She quietly entered her room and softly shut the door behind her. Sensing something wasn't quite right in the area she rapidly flicked on her light.

"What, no Squall?" Quistis asked.

Selphie was beside her, perched on Rinoa's desk. Rinoa gaped, "How did you get in here? My parents let you in here?"

"Nope!" Selphie seemed her regular hyper self, "We climbed up here!"

Rinoa rolled her eyes, "Weren't you afraid of breaking a nail or something?"

"What we go through for you." Quistis smiled mockingly. "Anyways, where's Squall?"

"He left after jumping up my ass." Rinoa replied sarcastically.

Missing the tone of the remark Quistis replied shockingly, "Are you serious?"

"She was joking, Quisty." Selphie covered for Rinoa who was rubbing her temples in annoyance.

"So … um … what happened?" Selphie asked as casually as the moment allowed.

"We went for dinner, we went for a movie and here I am."

There was a slight silence and Selphie whispered jokingly, loud enough for Rinoa to hear, "And that's how she failed creative writing."

"Oh fuck off." Rinoa fell back onto the bed in exasperation. "I don't know what to do."

"Ah, 'tis love." Quistis giggled.

Rinoa screwed her face into a grimace, "No, it isn't. I just … I … I'm not going to see him again."

"What? Why not?" The two others said in unison.

"Because I told him so." A slight tingling feeling invaded Rinoa's senses as a swift period of realization dawned on her.

"Because I told him so …" Rinoa's voice was weak and she flipped over, shoving her face in a pillow.

The two friends closed in and listened to the mumbles emitting from the pillow. They could make out only a few words, "Shit … dumbass … why?"

And then some more whining. Quistis threw up her arms in frustration and sat on the bed. "Why? You're asking, why? Why is this happening? Because you're a dumbass in waist deep shit!"

Quistis hit the nearby pillow in midst of her anger and then continued, "You liked the guy and he liked you. What happened two years ago didn't matter, Rinoa. Right now, you're being a stupid bitch."

Selphie looked at the pissed blond in awe. Never would she have thought that this other wise, calm and cool individual could be so … cruel. Still Selphie didn't understand everything that was going on.

"Um … did I miss something? What happened two year ago?" 

"Two years ago …" Quistis sighed. "Ask her."

"Rinoa?" Rinoa didn't respond. "Rinoa? What happened two years ago?"

Still receiving no response Selphie began phase 2 of the information extraction operation: Threatening. "If you don't tell me, I'll start singing, wake up your parents and then tell them you went on a date with Squall."

"What, they didn't know?" Quistis looked genuinely surprised, "Usually _nothing_ gets by Caraway."

"What do you want to know?" Rinoa lifted her face from the pillow and propped her chin on it instead.

"What happened two years ago," Selphie stated, "and don't tell me to ask Quistis."

"Fine." Rinoa grimaced yet again. "Two years ago … I went to a new year's party. Typically, political gatherings. So that year, he kissed me and I've sort of-"

"Details, I need details." Selphie urged.

"He kissed me … can it be any more detailed?" Rinoa grinded her teeth in annoyance.

"Yes it can. I give you the example-" Selphie began but Rinoa interjected.

"Ok, I don't want to hear how Irvine kisses. You aren't getting details on how Squall kisses either." Rinoa said and continued, "So ever since then I've sort of … been in love with him."

"_Really_ been in love with him." Quistis offered.

"Shut up." Rinoa retorted, "And then … a couple of week after the New Year's party … the newspapers said he'd found a girlfriend. You know … she's pretty and I can see why he likes her but … if he was already in love with her why did he kiss me?"

There was a short silence and then Rinoa continued, "I mean, I thought he really liked me and just the fact that …he already had someone else. I don't know. I loved him … I still do but …"

"You don't want to get hurt again." Selphie replied softly. "Is he still with her?"

"Don't know." Quistis filled in. "I saw that newspaper article as well. We haven't heard from her since, though."

Rinoa sighed and flopped over and got up to a sitting position, "So I told him he wasn't my type."

"What?" Quistis hissed trying to retain a shriek, "He's _everybody's_ type Rinoa! Did you see his body? His eyes? _Helloooo_ Rinoa? That is one of the stupidest things you've done."

"Thanks Quistis." Rinoa whispered, "Always nice to have your input."

"Ok, ok, ok. Maybe not everybody's type." Quistis said slowly, "Almost everybody but not everybody."

"That doesn't make me feel any better." Rinoa didn't look at either of her friends, "Because I know he's my type and that I have no other type."

The group stayed silent as Selphie and Quistis looked at each other helplessly. Outside the hail began falling.

***

"I don't know what went wrong. I seriously don't know." Squall held his head in his hands. He was back at Balamb Garden and had made it just before the weather had started getting ugly. 

"Does she know about Sarah?" Sefeir was always there, for moral support or just to be an asshole.

"No. There was only one article on Sarah and that was in the 'Wallstreet News'. What are the chances that Rinoa is an active stock holder?"

"Maybe she wanted quick cash." Sefeir offered.

Squall grunted and sat back in his commander chair. Sefeir continued pondering what Squall could have done that pissed Rinoa off. Well, Squall was the issue at hand here and the list of stupid things that he had done was extensive.

"Well, does she know that you're …"

Guessing what the other commander was poking at, Squall practically shouted, "I _already_ said, NO!"

"No, no. I didn't mean about _that_. I don't ask the same questions twice Squall, rest assured. I was presenting the issue: Does she know you're gay?"

"I'm not gay, you faggot." Squall hissed.

"Ok, you're a gay and you're in denial." Sefeir grinned.

"You're not fucking helping!" Squall shouted and pounded his fists on his desk.

"Ok, ok, ok. Just go apologize to her. Just say 'I'm sorry.'. That what chicks want to hear."

"She isn't just a chick." Squall countered.

Sefeir stayed silent for a moment and then added, "Well … you're right. She isn't just a chick. You really like her don't you?"

"Yah … I do." Squall responded truthfully, "She's the one I've liked since before I even liked girls."

***

There was snow. On top of that snow it had rained … and then frozen. A thick layer of ice covered the snow. Driving conditions were terrible, dozens of accidents had been reported, school was cancelled but what did he care? He was climbing.

The Caraway mansion was particularly easy to climb because of the 'quoins' on the side of the house. So he climbed. 

His fingers were cold, and he was getting vertigo. Finally he arrived at a window. Taking a chance he began edging towards the window ledge. Carefully opening the window with delicate ease he entered the room. SeeD training had taught him how to break into people's houses. Lovely skill to have handy.

Well, this was Rinoa's room because she was standing there, next to her desk ready to scream her head off.

"It's me. Don't yell, please." Squall begged.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She hissed. "It's 7:30 A.M.!!! Can't you use a door like everyone else?"

"I didn't want to go by your father." He explained hastily. "Anyways … I just wanted to come apologize! And, what are you doing awake at 7:30 A.M. dressed and everything?"

"First of all, Squall, do you even know what you're apologizing for?" Rinoa dodged the other question.

"No I was hoping you would know." He countered, "I just don't get you. I-"

"You don't get me? Try switching the situation." She retorted.

"How can you not get me? Can I be more obvious? I like you …ok? I … asked you out on a date … _threatened_ you on a date. I like you a lot, ok? I'm happy when I'm with you. What else do you want?"

"Right, so I'm your _current_ love interest." She snapped and then added rather cruelly, "So who's the highlight for next week?"

He stood there, shocked, his mouth slightly ajar at her brutality. Then finding the only thing written in his heart he said, "You. And the week after that, and then the week after that until I die."

"Look I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was engaged but-"

"You're _engaged_!?" She shrieked, "Ok, I thought you had a girlfriend but now you tell me your _engaged_?" 

He closed his eyes. She knew about Sarah but she didn't know about the engagement. He was such an idiot. 

"You didn't know." He said more as a statement then as a question. 

"Get the fuck out …" She said quietly. 

"Rinoa, I can explain. It's not me-"

"Get out Squall." She said as calmly as before, looking at her feet.

His eyes filled with pain as he turned away and exited through his entrance. Her eyes filled with tears as she went over to her bed and collapsed face first.

***

It was a perfectly normal morning for Sefeir. He yelled and cursed at different SeeDs and flirted with three different girls. He was having a wonderful morning until his secretary announced the arrival of Squall Leonheart.

He never minded seeing Squall; it was the state in which he walked in that bothered him. His head hung low and it looked at if he had stepped on a land mine.

"What the fuck is up your ass?" Sefeir asked immediately but already knew the answer, "Rinoa flushed you?"

"She didn't know about the engagement … and I opened my mouth …"

Sefeir started laughing hysterically, "You stupid, stupid, son of a bitch."

"This isn't funny, it feels like I've ruined my whole fucking life!" Squall exclaimed.

"Well, basically you have. I mean, without Rinoa you're stuck with Sarah." Sefeir said in an as-a-matter-fact way. 

"Sefeir … I need help, not a status report." Squall sank back in a guest chair, "What am I supposed to do. It's not my fault, I didn't-"

"Oh good excuse Squall. Blame it on daddy." Sefeir looked at his companion piteously. 

"Well I didn't choose it this way!" Squall said in his own defense.

"Pull your pants up, you asshole. Tell your fucking father to-"

"I can't! Don't you get it? The news is coming out tomorrow. I would disappoint my father so much if I-"

"Well then, you've lost her. She's gone. Get out of my office." Sefeir swerved his rotating office chair around to face the window. 

Squall looked at him helplessly, "Please Sefeir, I need your help."

"I'll talk to her." Sefeir said simply. "Until then, stay out of my face."

Squall obediently got up and left. The clock struck noon.

***

Sefeir entered the Caraway mansion led by a maid. He had asked to see Caraway but that was only a cover-up. He would lead the old man into a pointless conversation and then ask about Rinoa. Without looking _too_ suspicious, or so he hoped. 

"Hello Sefeir." Caraway greeted him heartily. Caraway was always polite to Sefeir for the sole reason of his commandership at Galbadia Garden.

"Hello sir, I just thought I'd drop by. Galbadia garden is doing fine. SeeD exams are next week." He smiled.

"Ah, yes. I wouldn't doubt the situation of Galbadia garden; it's in good hands. Are all the students behaving?"

Sefeir allowed himself a chuckle, "Well, there are always rebels but otherwise, everything is under control."

Caraway smiled slightly, "So how is Squall Leonheart? I haven't seen him for a while actually, I didn't get to chat with him at the New Year's party."

"Squall's doing fine. A little depressed lately but hey, he'll cheer up." Seizing the opportunity he asked, "Hey, where's Rinoa?"

"Oh, I think she's up in her room. It's up the stairs to the right. Go see her. Meanwhile I'll fill out some work papers."

Sefeir raised both eyebrows in slight surprise. Caraway was suggesting that he go up to Rinoa's room? And stay and chat without supervision? Well, miracles happen everyday. Sefeir climbed up the stairs and turned a right.

He knocked. He rarely knocked, ever, but he didn't want to bust into the room. "Come in." Rinoa's voice came from beyond the door.

So he did. Shutting the door behind him and looking around the room.

She was sitting at her desk with a laptop. She must have been working on some holiday assignment for school.

"Hey Rin." He smiled.

"Sefeir, hey!" Sefeir remarked how she was able to mask her sadness so cleverly. "I haven't seen you in so long."

He smirked, "Yah well, I'm still the wonderful, smart guy you knew back three years."

"Wow you've changed." She allowed herself a smile and then frowning slightly she swerved off subject, "_He_ asked you to come here."

Sefeir sighed sadly and nodded his answer, "He really likes you. The engagement was an accident."

"Yeah, I can tell it must have been one of his 'Whoops' moments. Maybe the ring fell out of his pocket." Rinoa's words were scarred with sarcasm.

Sefeir sighed once more and advanced towards her, "I just thought that maybe you should know … the engagement is supposed to be made public tomorrow in the papers. He's not happy, he didn't decide and it's not his fault."

"Of course not." She said bitterly and even more sarcastically then before, "Must have been that the pocket wasn't deep enough."

Sefeir bit his lip and turned around to leave but then said, just before exiting, "He'd do anything for you … and I'm sure you'd do the same for him."

***

Sarah pranced around the room happily, her dirty blond hair was cut a little longer then shoulder length and it was styled professionally. Her gray eyes glinted in her happiness. Squall watched her go, slightly emotionless. 

"Isn't so exciting?" Sarah asked, looking into the commander's eyes.

He had taken a dislike to her eyes and he missed the soft brown eyes of Rinoa, "Whatever." He replied.

"What's that supposed to mean? In a few short hours the whole world will know we're engaged." She smiled.

_"In a few short hours my life will end because I'll probably never see Rinoa again."_ He thought painfully. "Yah, isn't it great."

Squall's train of thought continued, _"And you know what's also real great? When I fuck you, I won't even be thinking of you. Isn't that wonderful?"_

"You know I've picked out a few names for our children!" She clapped her hands together, "I think four kids are a good number. Two girls and two boys. The girls' names will be-"

Squall wasn't listening, his train of thought hadn't reached the terminus, _"There will be two kids. The girl's name will be Riana, she'll have raven hair like her mom and blue eyes like me. The boy's name will be Kevin and he'll have hair like mine … but brown eyes like his mom."_

"The boys' names will be Jeffery and Jason, they'll look exactly like you and-" 

Squall wasn't paying attention. They would both be smart kids because neither of their parents were stupid. Squall thought that maybe a dog in the family would be a good idea. And a nice little house in Balamb.

Fingers were snapped in his face and his eyes met those of Sarah. She questioned him suspiciously, "Are you listening?"

***

Rinoa looked through her window to the dark night eclipsing daylight. The streetlights reflected on the icy snow and the full moon was gleaming in the sky. 

"If you really love me Squall, I just want to let you know that I loved you too. I did … but I'm letting go now." 

Lying on the rug, Angelo took note of the lie.

Sammy-Chan: No this is not the end. Please, keep those reviews coming and that other chapter'll be up soon. Yah. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!! Heh heh, sorry, I had to do that. So I really, really, really hoped you liked it, eh? Thank you and please R&R


	5. We're Going Camping!

Disclaimer: I have now conquered the world and therefore I own Squaresoft and FF8 along with it!  Muwahaha!!!  *Gets overthrown by the protesting civilians* Drat … I no longer own this corporation …

**~Chapter 5: "We're Going Camping!"~**

****

****

Time soothes all pain.  Treason is forgiven, although it might not be forgotten.  Eventually, the harsh winter melts away the ice and it no longer hails.  People move on and gladly adjust to their new living conditions.  The renewal of the land has come: spring.

Rinoa carried on. Each day, she tried not to think of Squall, trying to forget and erase the pain.  The article had come out, exactly like Sefeir had predicted, and she grew so immune to the blossom of rumors that she didn't even care whom he married anymore.

"Maybe you should take contact with him…" Quistis suggested lightly, trying not to anger her friend.

Rinoa sighed, "No, I don't think it would do any good.  Let it go, ok?  Just stop bugging me about it.  He's happy now."

Squall Leonheart was not happy, content, joyful or any of the above.  He had become a real bastard these days.  Snapping at whatever or whoever didn't please him, losing his head over tiny the mistakes his secretary made.  Sefeir made him aware of the cost.

"You know … it was your choice.  You can still go back on it.  The wedding isn't until September." He said, permitting himself to sit in the Balamb commander's chair.

"Yeah, my father would totally accept that." Squall said sarcastically.

Sefeir rolled his eyes, "Your stupid father can jump a donkey, Squall.  For that matter, so can you if you're giving up on Rinoa."

These conversations repeated themselves every afternoon when either commander went to visit each other.  Enough that they got Squall thinking.

Did he really want to give up on Rinoa?

Was obeying his father to this extent simply ridiculous?

Thinking was never good for the 19-year-old commander.  This made him confused on which paths to take.  Thinking was even affecting the way he signed papers.

Should I make my signature more legible? Maybe I should add a fancy loop to that 'S' … 

"You know… You are pissing me off.  It's been 4 months and you still haven't called, heard from or seen Rinoa.  Plus, you're acting all mopey-like and it's really cramping my style."  

Squall pounded his fists on his desk, "Damn it!  I can't go on like this… If I keep thinking about her, I'll end up yelling out her name while I'm fucking Sarah!"

Sefeir's eyes went wide. "Is _that _the only thing you're worried about?" He was getting ready to kill Leonheart.

"No…" Squall admitted hesitantly, "I think about her a lot… I think I'll fix the problem… I think I'm going to blow off the wedding."

***

Summer swept in.  There were no longer little wet spots in the street and people began walking around without their winter coats or windbreakers.  It was hot, dry and everything about it was perfect.  Summer holidays for all!

"You know, we should so get together with Irvine and his friends." Selphie suggested as they walked through the mall.

"That would be so cool!  I mean… we could go in the country or something." Quistis agreed and then turned to Rinoa, "What do you think?"

Rinoa didn't respond. She just stared blankly at the coffee shop.  Quistis sighed and suggested to Selphie, "I think she wants a coffee."

"No I don't want a coffee.  If you people want to go with Irvine to the goddamn country, then Goddamnit, go!  Just stop…" She walked away and Quistis fumed.

Quistis walked briskly and grabbed Rinoa's shoulder, "You're pathetic.  You are-"

"_Being ridiculous_ … that dress _so_ isn't you, …" A high-pitched voice said.  Quistis swapped around and scanned for the stupid bitch that had interrupted her.  She couldn't stand people who squeaked like that.

"_Oh my god!_ … It _so_ is my color."

"Whatever honey. Red is _so_ passé."

"Oh my god!" Rinoa moaned and turned around when her eyes met the thin blonde.  _Sarah with her friends_.  

She bumped into a muscular figure and her eyes traveled up to meet another unfortunate sight.  The cool, blue eyes of Squall Leonheart.

"_Oh my god!_"  She nearly shrieked.  She swerved around to Quistis, grabbed her friend by the shoulders and pushed her through crowds of people staring, "We're going … _now_!"

"Rinoa wait!" Squall called after her. He followed her outside while Sarah just stood there with a look of utter confusion.

"Rinoa!" Squall caught up with her and grabbed her arm.  She turned around and pulled her arm away.

"What?" She nearly snapped.

"What's wrong with you?" His temper flared.

"With me?  Look at _you_!" She retorted.

He snapped back, "At least I don't run from someone when I don't want to see them!"

Fire flared in her eyes and was sensed in her tone, "It's not my fault I can't stand your face!"

Sarah had come outside to watch what was going on.  "Did you ever let me explain?"

"Who needs an explanation, Squall?  I'm not stupid, you don't have to draw me a picture!!"

"That's enough!" Quistis stepped in the middle like a barrier, "You people are so stupid!"

"Standing in the middle of the road is dangerous Quistis. You can get hit from both sides." Rinoa snapped.

"Yeah, let mommy and daddy talk for a while." Squall retorted.

"You don't want to talk!  You people want to fuck each other so badly it's annoying me!  You're just too scared to come out and say it!"  Quistis spat.

"_What?_"  _Three_ people said in unison.

"Excuse me?"  Sarah was obviously not pleased and she was damn right ready to make a scene.

"Oops, so I let it slip.  Guess you can call off the wedding now." Quistis smiled sweetly.  

Rinoa glared at Quistis and then turned to Sarah, "Don't get this the wrong way, I'm not with Squall.  I never was.  We're just trying to resolve a small friendship problem."

Then turning her icy gaze to Squall she said simply, "Tell Sefeir I said 'Hi'." And she turned on her heel and left.

***

Quistis heaved a loud sigh as she exited the Galbadia garden infirmary.  She had taken up on this job offer when her course requirements included a first hand experience.  She wanted to become a nurse; maybe even a doctor.  She didn't, however, expect it to be this exhausting.  Students were coming in for _headaches_.  What kind of moron doesn't know how to cure a headache?

She walked down the dull hallways drowsily.  Suddenly, someone grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Hello, hot stuff!" 

She turned around and glared at the speaker, "Who the hell are you?"

"I happen to own this garden.  You're that new chick at the infirmary … wanna play doctor?"

"What?" She cried incredulously hoping she had misheard.  

Sefeir rolled his eyes and looked around to make sure no one was coming, "So you're Quistis, right?"

"Yeah … who are you?"

"I'm Sefeir.  I want to talk to you about Squall and Rinoa."

"You know them?"

"Yeah, and you know … they're having that little dilemma on getting together so I'd like to give them a little _push_, you know?  Help them out."

Quistis smiled, "Interesting… you're talking my language."

Sefeir smirked proudly, "There are a few obstacles, but we're fairly incredible people.  I think we can manage."

***

"Squall told me you said 'Hi'." A mocking voice came from the other end of the phone line.

"Wonderful." Rinoa replied sarcastically. "At least he's good at something."

A sigh could be heard, "You mean besides twirling his tongue half way down your throat?"

"Go to hell." She replied.

"That's my kingdom, it's where I rule." He allowed himself a grin that she couldn't see.

"So why did you call?" She suppressed the annoyance in her voice.

"To invite you to go camping next weekend.  Irvine, Zell, Quistis, Selphie, you, Squall, Sarah and me will be there."

"Then I'm not going."

"I was expecting that.  Resistance is futile.  I've already organized everything and we're planning a kidnapping in case you refuse to come." He paused for dramatizing effects and then said, "Do you hold your teddy bear, Pookie, in high emotional regard?"

"I haven't slept with that thing since I was 12, Sefeir." She couldn't keep the amusement from her voice.

"Oh shit … well … we'll kidnap you then.  Point is, you're coming." She didn't have time to respond when she heard a faint click from the other end.  Sefeir had hung up.

She rolled her eyes and hung up as well.  How was she supposed to explain this to her father?

***

"It'll be _fun_!" Selphie tried to sound convinced. 

Rinoa grit her teeth, "Not for me!"

"Yes it will be!  Squall will be there.  He'll be nice scenery to look at!" Quistis begged.

"And his wife'll be there too, so _no, _I'm not going!"

"But this might be your chance." Quistis pointed out.

"I have a lot of chances left. He's the one who's run out!"

Rinoa crossed her arms; people in the restaurant were starting to look at them.  Selphie felt like giving them all the finger but decided against it.

"Rinoa, you're coming… Whether you want to or not.  It's public camping grounds so there are these various spots where you can shower.  There are restaurants; tennis courts, hiking grounds, fishing lakes, even movie theaters!!  Ooh, movie theaters Rinoa, movie theaters!!  A place where you can do whatever you want with Squall without his wife really knowing …" And then Quitis winked, "We got you covered, girl."

Rinoa rolled her eyes and held her head in her hands, "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Easy… you should have never borrowed my red crayon in kindergarten." Quistis said, amused, "Then we would have never been friends."

"I knew I should have stuck with the pink!" Rinoa hissed.

***

"I'm having _so_ much _fun _already!" Rinoa yelled out sarcastically.

"Ok, ok… Maybe I should have made that right turn." Sefeir admitted.

Zell groaned in the front seat, "You are so stupid."

"Fuck you, hot-dog boy." Sefeir hissed.

Quistis smacked her forehead, "We'll never get there! Irvine and Selphie are probably there by now.  With Squall and that other girl."

Rinoa said nothing at this, but Zell told his share, "Yo! We're saved!!  _Look_!!"

He pointed to a nearby fast-food restaurant named … yes, you guessed it, 'Mr. HotDog Sausages'.

"Ew!" Quitis remarked, "That sounds dirty."

Rinoa and Sefeir burst out laughing and Zell grimaced, "I think you just ruined hot dogs for me."

"Anyhow …" Sefeir chuckled, "I'm going to call Squall on my cell phone."

***

"You guys took forever!" Selphie exclaimed, greeting the four people.  
  


"Thanks to Sefeir." Zell accused and Sefeir just grunted; he was annoyed.

Rinoa barely glanced at Squall and Sarah.  She felt uncomfortable already; and she felt that this wasn't going to end very well.  She was right.

***

"So yah, I'm completing med school at the start of the next school year." Quistis concluded.

Sarah stood there, amazed, "Wow, you are like, so brave. I would never have the courage to complete school."

"How far did you go, grade 10?" Quistis said but then covered her mouth, "No, I meant … college."

Irvine tried in vain to retain laughter and his eyes accidentally met Rinoa's.  Both started laughing hysterically and Selphie, Sefeir and Zell joined in.

"Um anyhow… What blood type are you Sarah?" Quistis asked, trying to retain laughter herself.

"Oh, I'm blood type B negative." She replied, completely oblivious to the earlier outburst.

They were all around a campfire; it was about eight thirty with a full moon peering down on them.  The air was cold but being outside felt nice for a change.

"Really?  Squall, aren't you AB positive?" Quistis crossed her fingers.

"Yeah …" He said rather tediously, staring in the fire.

"Oh, gee that's bad." Quistis put on an expression of fake deception.

Sarah squeaked, "Huh?  Why?"

"Well, because if ever you and Squall had a child, its chances of surviving are reduced to about 5%.  You see, the baby will inherit the positive blood factor from Squall and when you bear the baby, the baby's blood will mix with your own… and then you'll end up producing antibodies against its blood because the positive factor is a foreign substance to your body.  Your antibodies will end up killing the baby."

Everyone went quiet as Sarah pondered this. Finally an answer came, "What?"

"She says that if you ever have a kid with Squall, you might have problems giving birth." Rinoa filled in, "95% of the time, this doesn't happen because your blood and the baby's blood usually never mix.  If it does happen, 45% of the time the baby will have the negative factor like you so there won't be any problems and if there are, which is, by the way, extremely rare, you get an injection and everything goes right."

Sarah was still clueless and Rinoa received a swift kick in the shin from Quistis, "Oh, since when are _you_ a nurse?"  

"But I don't want to take any chances, so it's good that Quistis made me aware of the consequences."

"Woah! Big word there… Consequences…" Sefeir muttered and Rinoa restrained a giggle.  She looked towards Zell and asked, "Pass me one of the sausages you cooked, Zell.  And a bun."

"Hey, it's my labor … you have no idea how long these take to cook on a campfire." Zell stated defensively.

"Just pass her the goddamn hotdog." Irvine and Sefeir said in unison.

"Chh … fine." Zell passed Quistis a hotdog, which she passed to Rinoa.

"Well, what can I do?" Sarah persisted onto the topic, "Is there any way that I can get my blood type changed?"

Quiet settled once more on the campground and raspy noises could be heard from Rinoa, who shoved her head in Sefeir's coat to muffle her hysterics.

"Um … no not yet." Quistis smiled and raised an eyebrow, "But we're working on it, want to donate your body to science?"

Rinoa manage to submerge her laughter and took a bite out of her hotdog, Sarah responded with a "Would it be worth it?"

Sefeir leaned in towards Rinoa and whispered, "Not sure … considering they need your brain."

Rinoa was in a very delicate situation … Sefeir had broken the barrier between sane and insane.  She started laughing and choking at the same time.  She handed the hot dog to Quistis and got up from her sitting position to head into the bushes.

Squall rushed up from his sitting position and nearly took after Rinoa.  Sefeir stopped him, "She's choking … she doesn't need your help with the Heimlich maneuver."

Spitting could be heard from the bushes and Sefeir started laughing, "Ew, _Rinoa_!  That wasn't very lady-like!"

"Did she just spit out a perfectly good hotdog?" Zell cried out incredulously.

"It was that or die!" Rinoa called back.

She came back to the campfire and started rummaging for a soft drink, "Malfunctioning of your epiglottis?" Quistis asked.

"Could you please stop dictating your biology lesson to us?" Rinoa finally found a coke and began to drink it immediately.   

"Tell us how the reproductive system works, Quistis!" Irvine raised his eyebrows up and down and smiled mischievously.

"So what are we doing tomorrow?" Rinoa completely steered the subject.

"What are you Rinoa, _embarrassed_ about it?" Sefeir asked tauntingly.

"I'm not embarrassed about it … I'm just kind of scared it'll wheel off into a personal region of the topic."  She glared menacingly at Sefeir, "_Get my drift?_"

Sefeir smiled innocently and replied, "Received one on one."

Irvine smiled and purposely added, "Oh I gotta tell you guys, this one time-"

"I've heard about how you fuck, Irvine. Selphie has told me in great graphic detail." Rinoa interrupted then added, "Four inches?  That's pathetic."

Everyone started laughing, even Irvine and he nearly yelled (blushing like hell and laughing like hell), "I feel transgressed and violated."

"I had to _listen_ to this! Feel my pain!" Rinoa stuck out her tongue.  It was such a nasty, five year old habit, but she couldn't help so.

Squall bit his lip and smiled.  Through the fire she looked so beautiful.  The raven hair, the brown eyes, porcelain skin accented with the flames.

Though he knew that if he reached for her, his hand would contact the fire and pain would be induced.

Sammy-Chan: Wow … ok … this was amazing.  I'm not proud of this chapter but anyways.  Another chappie chucked at my poor, poor beta reader.  Hee hee hee … I mean … POOR, POOR ERICA!!  Ha ha ha.  Well, anyways, I know some of you are mad because Rinoa and Squall still aren't together and 'Sarah' looks like she's clinging on pretty tight … so R&R and I'll post the next chapter.  BY THE WAY: I do NOT own the quote 'Standing in the middle of the road is dangerous, you can get hit from both sides.'  This is a quote by someone else (Jane Austin, I believe) but I assure you that it is not mine!


	6. Plan A

Disclaimer: I do not own FF8, blah blah blah … 

**Chapter 6: Plan A**

She slept peacefully … basking in her memories …

"Help me!!  Please, someone save me from the evil dragon!" The shrill voice of a six-year old called out from up on a tree house.

_"Don't worry, princess Rinoa!" A brown-haired boy called out, waving around his wooden stick. "I will save you!"_

_He started prodding and poking an imaginary dragon. "Hyah!"  Then climbed up triumphantly upon a boulder. "I am victorious!  Ha ha ha!"_

_Rinoa allowed herself a smile as her hero climbed up to the tree house, grinning at his latest vanquished imaginary foe._

_"You saved me!" She cried out._

_He brought out his chest a little more, "I did, didn't I?"_

_"What can I ever do to repay you?" _

_"One kiss is all I ask!" _

_Rinoa stopped acting for a moment, "Um … Squall, this is getting awkward."_

_He nodded slightly, "Yeah, but haven't you seen the movies?"_

_"M'yah … but …" She reluctantly stepped forward. "I don't know how to."_

_"You don't have to do it like in the movies.  Just like this." And he resumed his acting.  He stepped forward and pecked the girl on the lips._

_Rinoa seemed taken aback at the sudden movement and she turned around, blushing, to look out of the window._

_She gazed upon the land of exile, Winhill.  The flower fields extended out of reach and the white washed buildings didn't stand very high.  From where she was from, Deling city, this would be entitled 'A hic town' and she agreed.  The biggest edifice in this whole town was the manor.  _

_Every summer, she was shipped off to this barren yet serene place.  She didn't quite hate it.  Usually, Squall Leonheart kept her company, he too, having been exiled._

_She gripped the imperfect windowsill tightly, "Squall?"_

_"Yeah?" The 7 year-old stepped towards her._

_"Don't tell anyone we kissed." Then, as if according a reason to her words added, "It would be kind of embarrassing."_

_"Sure." He shrugged his shoulders, "Lets go ask Matron for lunch.  I'm hungry."_

_She smiled and looked at him, "Yeah!  Then we'll go play with the baby chocobos in the fields."_

Rinoa jumped slightly in her sleep.  Her eyes considerably adjusted to the darkness of the tent and she began detecting some of the noises around her.  Quistis was breathing softly on a mattress next to her own.  The cackles and hisses of the fire told her that Sefeir or someone else was still awake.  Her thoughts reminisced back to the dream.  No, it wasn't a dream … this had happened before.  The same scenery in Winhill.

*** 

Dreaming … dreaming … dreaming …

"Yeesh, I can't wait till I get older." He brushed a few locks off his forehead. "No one to send us to this stupid place." He kicked a nearby shrub.

_"You don't like it here?" A trace of hurt visible in her soft voice._

_He scowled, "Wouldn't you want to be somewhere else?  I'm twelve now, you know?  I'm nearly a teenager.  I could be having fun with my friends."_

_She sighed slightly, "Yeah …I guess for you it's different." She sat in the vast flower field.  Slowly she brought her knees to her chest and hugged them._

_He sat down next to her, "You know, Rinoa … with you here, it's a lot better.  But … we could be having so much more fun somewhere else.  Like in Timber."_

_"I guess.  Being older would be better … at least people wouldn't get mad at us for nothing."_

_"Yeah!  When I'm older, I want to be SeeD Commander … for Balamb garden!  I want to be the boss!" He grinned, "That'd be cool."_

_"I want to be lawyer." She said simply, "They make a lot of money and you get to argue."_

_"Yeah … and … we could get married!" He exclaimed, "We could have two kids … and a dog!  Named …"_

_"Angelo!" She started warming to his dreams, "We'll name the dog Angelo!"_

_"And the two kids can be called …" He pondered for a moment and then finally said, "Kevin … and Riana!  One boy, one girl!"_

_"Yeah!  We'll live in Balamb." The black haired girl smiled._

_A silence fell between the two.  A warm breeze passed through the field, making the flowers dance about._

_Squall placed one hand on Rinoa's shoulder, "I'd do anything for you."_

_She scooted nearer to him and leaned against his shoulder, "Promise?"_

_"Promise."_

Squall blinked twice in the darkness.  That was a very odd dream.  He searched his memory for a similar event and found an identical match.  Around eight years ago, in Winhill.  He had promised Rinoa something.  Rather, they had promised each other.

He pondered the irony of the situation.  They had fulfilled most of their promises.  He was Balamb's SeeD commander.  Rinoa was beginning to study 'Law'.  She also owned a dog named Angelo.

Though they had not gotten married and they still didn't have those two kids.  It didn't look like that was ever going to happen either.  With Sarah stuck on him like a fly on sticky paper things weren't looking on the bright side.

He turned around to face the canvas wall of the tent.  Falling asleep with words. 

_"Promise?  Promise.  I'd do anything for you …"_

***

"So we're going hiking?" Squall asked for the third time this morning.

"Yes." Sefeir responded, "We go by the beach and we enter the trail from there."

The group continued walking on the sandy shores of the camping resort. "You're a moron.  It's like, the fifth time you ask." Quistis informed him.

"I just think hiking sounds stupid.  You walk up the mountain, you walk down the mountain." He retorted.

"You don't get it!  You look at the scenery, you relax, you have lunch.  It's all things that help the state of mind."

"Right, well Quistis, since you're so fucking crazy I guess this'll be helpful for you." Squall spat back.  He was still quite heated from their last encounter.

"Oh you are going to pay!" She yelled and made a jump to claw at him. 

 Rinoa smacked Squall in the back of the head, "Both of you stop!"

"Ow!" He whined, "Why'd you hit _me_?"

"Well, I had to hit _someone_." She explained.

"Yeah, but why me?" He questioned again.

"Because you've got the bigger head." She sighed, "Let's go already." She pushed herself ahead and walked with Zell and Sefeir.

"You know, this hiking thing sort of sounds tiring." Sarah put in.

"Which is why we reserved a cab for you at the bottom of the hill." Zell said sarcastically.

"Seriously?"

"No, he was joking." Rinoa had to explain. "Cabs don't run on dirt paths."

"You mean the paths aren't _paved_?" Sarah nearly shrieked.

There was a silence amongst the group and Squall filled in, "Um … babe, we're going hiking.  Up a _mountain_."

"But Squally-Wally!  That's so tiring!" She explained.

Rinoa raised an eyebrow at Squall and thought, "_Squally Wally?_"

"Uh … so now that that's good and clear.  I believe that is the path that we'll be hiking today." Selphie pointed to a path nearly invisible through the undergrowth.

***

"My shoes are going to be ruined." A whine could be heard from the back.

"Honestly, I've never seen anyone wear high-heeled shoes while hiking!" Rinoa made her comment loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Ugh, they're designed fashion, at least I look good." Sarah retorted.

"At least I'll still own a pair of feet when I return to camp." Rinoa said more quietly this time.  Squall gave her a funny look.

She responded with a slight hiss, "You're _wife_ is annoying me."

"Wow, me too!" He declared.

"Irvy!  Look, that's so romantic!  Bring me!" The energetic Selphie pointed to a beautiful flowing waterfall through the thickness of the trees.

Irvine grinned, "Okay, the rest of you, go on.  We'll catch up."  And the couple left the group.

"Ok. That was weird and very hasty." Squall commented.

Quistis nervously glanced at Sefeir and said jokingly, "Well, you know Irvine … always up to do … um … never mind."

***

They continued trudging up the unrelenting path.  Joking, talking, anything to keep Sarah from jumping in Rinoa's face.  Or vice-versa.

Suddenly, Zell cried out in over-exaggerated glee, "Guys, look!  A hot dog stand!  I would very much like to go eat some hot dogs.  Do go on.  Do not wait up.  I will catch up to you!" And he skipped to the tiny hot dog stand, set up in a clearing where many people seemed to be gathering.

"Did Zell just _articulate_ words?" Rinoa gaped.

"That was _really_ weird." Squall confessed.

"Um … maybe he's just lacking protein.  I'll go with him to the stand … so he doesn't blow his credit card.  See you people later."

Sefeir ran off to join Zell, leaving four present team members.  Quistis, Rinoa, Squall and Sarah.

***

"I really need to pee." Sarah whined.  Rinoa couldn't help rolling her eyes.

"I know where there's an outhouse.  Follow me." Quistis sensed her opportunity and grabbed her by the arm, dragging her in an opposite direction.  She called out to the remaining two, "Go ahead, we'll be right behind you."

Rinoa was about to yell something back but in vain.  No one was there to hear her except Squall. "That was really weird."

"Whatever.  We're almost to the top of the mountain.  Let's go." 

***

"Wow … it's really nice up here." They had climbed the wooden platform that overlooked the whole camping grounds.

"Yeah … it is." He leaned onto the railing next to her. "Are you still pissed at me?"

She pondered this for a moment, "No, I guess not.  Your wife is annoying though.  No offense."

"I know." He scowled.

"If you find her annoying I don't see why you asked her to marry you." Rinoa concluded.

"Rinoa, listen.  I didn't.  It was a mistake." He tried to explain.

"I don't need excuses, Squall." She sighed.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and made her face him. "Rinoa, I didn't choose it this way.  I … want to be with you.  I wish that this had never happened."

She breathed calmly and coolly as he leaned down.  She shut her eyes and welcomed the kiss, running her hands through his hair.  He held her waist and brought her closer to him.  Oh course, perfect moments can't last forever and this one ended rather abruptly.

A shriek pulled them apart and made them look in the direction of downhill.

"Was that Sarah?" Rinoa asked.

"Oh… shit!" And they both ran down to see what the problem was now.

***

"Aaaaah!" The high pitched scream traveled across the mountain, making some campers turn around in confusion.

Squall and Rinoa arrived at where both Quistis and Sarah were standing.  Sarah, looking as if she'd just found spaghetti sauce on her new designer jeans.  In other words, completely traumatized.  

"Squally!!!" She screamed and wrapped her arms around him like a scared child would to a parent.

Quistis shrugged, "I really do not know what her problem is."

Sefeir, Zell, Irvine and Selphie coincidently came running towards them at the same time.  

"Hey, we're here.  We heard someone scream." Irvine wheezed.

Both Rinoa and Quistis pointed at the culprit; Sarah.  The four newly arrived gave each other odd questioned looks.  Little did Squall, Rinoa and Sarah know that these were all fake questioning glances.

"Snakes!" Sarah nearly sobbed, "Lots and lots of snakes!!"

"What the fuck?" Squall mouthed to the rest of his companions and they all shrugged too.

"I was going to the bathroom … and on my way there, I slipped and fell into this big … giant pit … with snakes!!!" Sarah exploded into tears.

"You fell into a snake pit?" Rinoa asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Wow … I wonder how that happened." Zell said as innocently as possible.

Irvine nudged him in the ribs, "Right, well, shall we continue our way up the mountain?"

***

"Damn it, Zell, you're the worst role player I've ever met!" Quistis complained.

It was dark and the group of five had met in the forest.  Squall, Rinoa and Sarah were all asleep.

"You sounded constipated, man." Irvine said.

"Hey, shut the hell up.  I paid for the snakes and I dug the hole!" Zell snapped.

"Yeah, that's right, so ease up." Sefeir reminded them. "But she still got in the way.  Squall and Rinoa barely had ten whole minutes together alone."

"It'd be really cool if she could just leave!" Selphie whined.

"That ain't happening soon …" Sefeir informed his friend. "So let's pass to action plan B."

The five grinned slightly, remembering what Plan B was.

Note: When I introduced the topic of hiking in this chapter I didn't mean the type of hiking you do with picks and ropes and stuff.  I meant the type of hiking where you pick a path that leads you up to a watch site to the top of a mountain.  Recreational camping grounds usually have them.

Sammy-Chan: I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while.  I've been really busy with schoolwork.  *Gets a shoe thrown at her face* Ow … ok, excuses don't cut it … how about bribery. *An anvil is dropped on her foot* YEOW!!!!  Listen … I'll update soon … I promise! *People walk by her and give her the middle finger* At least read and review?


	7. Will You Catch Me If I Fall?

_Disclaimer: I have made an amazing discovery … I DO OWN FF8!!  At home, on a shelf RIGHT next to FF7.  Tee hee … *grins*_

**~Chapter 7: Will You Catch Me If I Fall?~**

****

****

****

Quistis' arm flung out of her sleeping bag unintentionally and smacked Rinoa in the face.  The raven-haired girl woke up with a start and shoved Quistis' arm off in annoyance.  This is why she hated tents.  They were so cramped and sharing one with Quistis wasn't exactly the best thing ever.

As much as she was one of her best friends, she could get quite annoying.  Well, it could be worst.  She could be sharing a tent with the hyperactive Selphie.  Or even worse … Irvine.  That would be plain freaky.  

Or she could be sharing a tent with Sarah… Talk about hell.  She slowly slipped out of her sleeping bag and rubbed her eyes trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness.  She guessed it was around the wee hours of the morning.  

She fumbled around for a pair of jeans and slipped them on top of her boxer-pajama shorts while scrunching down to meet the extremities of the tent.  Then noticed her sweater sitting in a corner.  She grabbed it, pulled it over her head and stepped out into the cool, fresh air of the forest.

She noticed a hunched figure that was kneeling above the dying fire.  

"Hey." She made herself known.

Squall rose from his scrunched position, "Oh hey…"

She went and sat down on the bench of the picnic table. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Sarah's snoring kept me awake." He grimaced and sat down next to her.

"Oh pleasant…" She remarked sarcastically.

"Yeah… She talks in her sleep too.  It's kind of freaky." He confessed.

"Do tell!" Rinoa grinned.

"She was saying some pretty weird shit.  Woke me up…" Squall unearthed a stone with his shoe.  

A slight silence passed between the two.  The wind ruffled the foliage of the great deciduous trees, which nested owls that were searching for prey.  Frogs croaked from the lake.  Nature was at it's best: Undisturbed.

"What time is it?" Rinoa asked as softly as she could.

Squall looked down at his watch, "Five A.M."

Another silence.  The moon glowed white against the pale sky, accompanied by silvery stars that dotted the heavens.  A pinkish color tinted up above, indicating the beginning of a sunrise.  A great bulging semi-circle lit the horizon.

"Wow… Look." Rinoa breathed, "It's really beautiful."

"Not really." Squall shrugged, "You're more beautiful."

She looked back at him, shocked slightly by his simplicity.  He stared back into her chocolate eyes and smiled.

"You're making the highlight of my day, being the sunrise, sound corny and sappy." Rinoa accused.

"At least it'll be real." Squall smiled, "At least you know everything that happened was real.  Every word spoken was true."

  She grinned, "I choose 'ignorance is a bliss.'"

***

"Today is 'sports day'!" Seifer announced at the breakfast table.  People sitting in the restaurant turned slightly to stare at him.

They had gone out to a nearby 'Pancake House' for breakfast.  It was just so much easier than trying to cook eggs on a campfire.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Squall stuffed more toast and eggs in his mouth.

"On the highlight for today; laze around the camp for a while, go play basketball, go laze around the camp for a while… Then we go to a nearby skating park I saw around."

"Since when are you the boss?" Rinoa insisted on knowing.

"Since now." Sefeir smirked, "And everyone will abide by my rules."

"Whatever…" Muttered Squall incoherently.

Zell wolfed down his eighth order of toast and sausages.  An early replacement for hotdogs in general.

"Well, ok guys.  I won't play basketball though… I'm a better cheerleader." Sarah giggled.

"Ok then…" Quistis had to bite the inside of her mouth not to laugh.

"Dudes, honestly, I saw this amazing thing we could go to tomorrow.  Seriously, it'll be amazing…" Irvine chipped in.

Selphie rolled her eyes and cupped Irvine's hand, "But that's tomorrow… So I guess it'll be a surprise to everyone."

"I don't like surprises." Rinoa said curtly.

Sarah made a grunting noise, "You are _so_ boring."

"Trust me, honey, if you had known these guys as long as I have; you wouldn't like surprises either." 

Squall grinned and turned to his 'fiancée', "I totally agree."

"You mean you're not on my side, Squally Wally?" Sarah whined slightly.

Rinoa started choking on her toast and she wasn't the only one.  Seifer began giving Zell smacks on the back to make him cough up the toast.

"What's so funny?" Sarah asked; you could tell she wasn't amused.

Zell, who had recovered, responded, "I'm picturing something really gross but really funny at the same time."

The whole table started laughing, with the exception of Squall and Sarah.  Selphie wheezed, "Zell, you are so disgusting!"

Seifer looked thoughtful for a moment, "You know I'd _pay_ to see that."

"Not funny…" Squall responded through gritted teeth.

Irvine, being the Irvine that he is, said, "Dude, do the students in Balamb stop at your dormitory door and wonder what the hell's going on in there?"

Then Quistis began her imitation, "Oh Squally Wally, OH!  Yes, yes, YES!"

Squall grimaced and signaled for his friends to shut the hell up.

***

"Yo, let's play some two on two basket ball guys!" Zell urged and spun the ball on his fore finger.

"Wooow… you're a pro!" Rinoa said sarcastically, and with that she grabbed the ball out of Zell's grasp.

"Hey!" Zell whined and Rinoa stuck out her tongue.

"Um… The girls will catch up to you guys later!  We're staying here for a while!" Sarah declared.

"Since when?" Rinoa muttered more to herself then to anyone else.

"Ok, you ladies have fun.  We'll be at the basket ball courts."  Irvine smirked, yanked the ball from Rinoa and ran off into the distance laughing hysterically.

"You're boyfriend's is really starting to scare me." Rinoa stated simply.

***

Rinoa groaned from her sitting position.  She couldn't stand another minute of it.  For half an hour… Sarah's mouth opening and closing talking about Squall and how great it was to be engaged to him.

_"Someone shut her up… Now!!"_ She felt like yelling out.

"So yah, how about you Rinoa?  Do _you_ have the hots for anyone?" Sarah asked.

This took Rinoa by surprise and yet she managed to stutter, "No." Meanwhile trying to hide her crimson face.

"Yeah, Rinoa's actually in a relationship with someone.  The thing is there's this bitch who won't let go of him." Quistis explained.

Selphie gave her a glare that reminded her not to go too far.  Sarah might have been an idiot but she wasn't that stupid.

"Oh really?" Sarah's voice filled with pity, "That really sucks.  If I were you, I'd give her a big slap in the face."

"You don't know how much I want to do so." Rinoa mumbled.

"Well, we should go and meet the guys, what do you say?" Selphie asked.

"Good idea!" Rinoa burst out, "Let's go now!"

Sarah jumped from her sitting position and squealed, "Let's go seeeeeee my boyfriend!!!" She said in an unusually high-pitched voice.  She turned around and smashed right into a tree.  

Rinoa, Selphie and Quistis did their best not to laugh.

(A/N: The 'Let's go seeeeeee my boyfriend thing is actually an inside joke, brought along by CharlieGirl… Hee hee hee … some life experiences are MEANT to be in fanfics…)

***

The four girls approached one of the many basketball courts.  They stared at the four guys playing as if their lives depended on it.  Seifer and Squall on one team, Zell and Irvine on the other.

The men stopped as they saw the girls walking towards them.  "There you are!  You took your sweet time." Seifer shouted at them jokingly.

"How about four on four?" Rinoa suggested.

"Um… I don't think I'll play." Sarah spoke up meekly.

"Fine, I'll referee the game.  Jump ball, taken at center!" He pointed to the circle in center court.

"Come on guys.  We can beat these ladies." Seifer said tauntingly, "One's a nurse." He looked at Quistis and winked, "The other is 5'1" … And … Well… The other one is short too."

"Excuse me?!" Selphie and Rinoa exclaimed in unison.

"Let's kick their asses!" The syrup that Selphie had drowned her pancakes in that morning was starting to take effect.

Quistis decided to take the jump ball against Seifer.  Both jumped in the air following the ball's trail and finally Seifer grabbed the ball and started dribbling down the court towards the net.

5… 4…

He sped down the frontcourt occasionally stopping to loop around the defense.

3… 2…

1… "5 second rule!!!!" Selphie blurted out, "VIOLATION!!!"

Zell had to agree with the girls for they were right.  "Rinoa takes the ball from the sidelines…"

Rinoa sneered at her opponents and took the ball from the nearest line.  "Hey, how 'bout even more pressure.  First to score wins."

"Fine with me!" Irvine called out.  Seifer and Squall just nodded their response as they readied themselves for defense.

Rinoa passed the ball quickly to Selphie who bounded out of her backcourt and into the guys' frontcourt.  

5… 4…

Serving around Irvine and running up near the hoop.  

3… 2…

1… "5 SECOND-" Seifer didn't have time to finish his sentence.  The ball flew out of Selphie's hands to Rinoa.  

"Fuck…" Seifer cursed and immediately stepped to defense once more.

Squall obviously had Rinoa covered and apparently this seemed to bother her.  She backed right into him and nearly lost her balance, "Get off my case, Squall!"

She turned around to face him, and obviously this surprised him and he backed up a bit.  Seizing the opportunity she passed the ball to Quistis who had positioned herself in her opponents key.  Her only obstacle… Seifer.

She decided to throw, aiming with laser precision.  He blocked her throw easily but accidentally shoved her to the side.  Not enough to knock her over but enough for Selphie to cry out, "FOUL!!!  SHE WAS IN THE ACTION OF SHOOTING!!!"

"We get two free throws!!!" Rinoa concluded.  And Zell agreed.

"Oh bullshit!!" Seifer scowled.

"Those _are_ the rules, Seifer…" Quistis said smiling.

Quistis stationed herself at the free throw line and shot the ball.  Seifer seemed to have done something to her balance because it hit the rim of the basketball and bounced off with incredible strength.  Seven pairs of eyes followed its trail.  The eighth pair was gazing off somewhere and that's when it struck.  Sarah received the ball on the head.

"Ahhh!" She shrieked as if announcing her pain.  

"Are you ok?"  Zell asked.

"I just got hit by a ball!  Do I look ok?" She shrieked.  You could tell she was pissed.

"Um…" Squall stuttered, "It's only a ball, you'll be fine.  Let's just keep playing."

Seifer's eyes shot open.  _Squall had completely ignored her_.  That set him thinking.  If it had been Rinoa who had been hit with the ball he would have rushed towards her and concluded the game should be stalled.  But it wasn't Rinoa; it was Sarah.  If it were Rinoa who had been hit, Squall would have started bitching at Quistis for throwing such a bad shot.  But it wasn't Rinoa; it was Sarah.

"We really need to get Squall and Rinoa together, you get it?" He nodded his head in Sarah's direction, while whispering to Quistis.

Quistis understood, she too had noticed and she nodded quickly to show she understood.

"Rinoa, take the last free throw." Selphie ordered.  She was taking the 'beat-the-guys' thing very seriously.

Rinoa didn't object.  She took her place at the free-throw line and shot.  The ball went in with relative ease and Selphie jumped around while mocking the guys, "We beat you, we beat you, we beat you!!!"

"Ahh, bullshit!!!" Seifer cussed again.

***

The group had returned to camp.  Seifer had decided to go take a nap to help him get over his defeat and Sarah had decided to take a nap to rid herself of her terrible headache.

"So are we going to go to the skating park?" Selphie asked, still as energetic as ever.

"What exactly is that?" Rinoa asked.

"A park, you know… Where you can get on roller blades or skateboards and… Skate." Quistis informed. 

"Riight…" Rinoa said.

"Let's go now.  Sarah and Seifer'll catch up later." Squall decided.

"Yeah, let's go now!" Selphie bounced around.

"Just leave them a note or something." Rinoa suggested.

"No, I'll stay behind until they wake up." Quistis informed.  "You guys, go ahead."

***

Quistis waved to her departing companions and when they were well out of site she darted into Seifer's tent and woke him up.

"Mmmph… What?" He growled.

Quistis urged him out of his sleeping back, "Now's our chance!"

***

They dragged her sleeping mattress down the little path, leading to the lake.  It wasn't the type of lake you swam in … this was the fishing lake.  

"Thank the heavens she's a heavy sleeper." Seifer whispered.

And they cast her out into the lake.

***

"Where's Sarah?" Rinoa asked as she saw Seifer and Quistis walked up to them.

"Still sleeping.  We left her a note saying where we'd be."

Rinoa kept sipping her coke, giving Quistis occasional suspicious glares.  Trying to change the subject (and succeeding) Quistis said, "Ooh, Selphie and Irvine are already skating, I wanna go!  Come on Seifer."

Quistis dragged Seifer to the skates counter and left Rinoa and Squall alone on the bleachers.  

"So… You don't want to go skating?" Squall asked Rinoa.

Rinoa smiled slightly, "Will you catch me if I fall?"

He grinned and scooted closer to her, "I'll always catch you if you fall."

She smiled at his answer but responded, "Nah, I don't really want to go skating."

He paused and then asked her, "Will you catch me if I fall?"

"I always have, haven't I?"  She her eyes pierced his own. "As a friend."

"Maybe I don't want you as a friend anymore.  Maybe I want you as something more."  Squall leaned in towards her a bit.

"You know that'll never happen… Ever." Rinoa brought him back to realty.

"We'll let this kiss justify that…" And he slowly leaned down.

The same scenery mirrored in her pale, gray iris.  Little did the couple on the bleachers know… The true storm hadn't even commenced.

Sammy: CLIFFHANGER!!  I hope you people are observant enough to know who the gray eyes belong to.  Yes, that was a hint.  Please read and review!!


	8. Dawning Realization

Disclaimer: I do not own FF8 or any of its characters.  Everything belongs to SQUARESOFT … 

****

**~Chapter 8: Dawning of Realization~**

****

****

Her heart beat a little faster, her teeth clenched, her mind was screaming and if you looked close enough you could see steam coming out of her ears.  This was a complete outrage!!!

Her fiancée with… With… That low-class bitch?  She wouldn't have it.  She always got her way; she always got her man and this time would be no different.

She let out a loud, piecing shriek causing the peaceful couple on the bleachers to look up right before their lips had touched.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Demanded Sarah, while approaching the stands.

Squall obviously seemed lost for words, "Uhh… Ahh… Um… Hi!"

Rinoa looked to the floor in shame and decided against speaking.  If she did, a slap in the face would be a likely response.  She had never gotten into a bitch fight in her life and she wished to keep it that way.  Although, she remarked the irony in the situation.  The kiss _had_ justified their relationship status.  They would never be together.

Seifer, Irvine, Selphie, Zell and Quistis skated over to the threesome in wonder.  They all, clearly, detected that something was wrong and that Sarah was the likely cause.

"What's up?" Quistis, who had noticed what Rinoa and Squall were about to do, asked as innocently as possible.

"I'll tell you what's up!" Sarah screamed at the blonde, "She was about to kiss _my_ fiancée!" 

"Or your fiancée was about to kiss _her_." Seifer pointed out.

Sarah made a gesture of impatience, "Why would Squall kiss her when he has me?"

"I can answer that!" Selphie bounced up but Irvine cupped his hand over her mouth.  

"Anyways…" Quistis said lightly, seeing Rinoa's fist clench while her eyes were to the ground, "The point and important thing is that they didn't.  So why should it bother you?"

Sarah shrieked yet again, "They had the intention to!!  It's still just as bad."

"You just pick the greatest time to be smart, don't you?" Zell spat back at her, "I'll also tell you; you've got really great timing too!!"

Seifer held onto Zell's coat to keep him from doing something illegal: attacking a woman.

"Ok, let's all calm down and breathe…" Irvine tried to tense down the atmosphere.

Sarah's wet stands of hair dangled wildly as her whole body shook under the anger.  It had appeared (to any normal bystander) that she had jumped into a lake, clothes and all.

"Um… What the hell happened to you anyways?" Seifer asked as innocently as the moment allowed.

"Ha ha…" Her laugh was fracturing the line between pissed off and insane, "Funny story, actually.  I woke up from my nap and I was in the middle of a lake!"

Quistis tried her best to look genuinely surprised, "Gee, I wonder how that happened."

"Ok…" Squall cut through, "Sarah, calm down."

"Calm down?!" Her shriek sent many people looking towards the group in wonder, "You want me to calm down?!  I nearly drowned today _and_ I found my fiancée about to kiss someone other then me!!!  How _dare_ you tell me to calm down!!!"

"I'm sorry, Sarah, but has it ever crossed your mind that Squall …" Selphie let her sentence hang slightly.

"That he what?" Sarah snapped back but then looked towards Rinoa, "What the hell about you??  Why aren't you saying anything?!"

For a moment, with her head down and her fists clenched, everyone thought Rinoa had been crying but her head snapped up tearless.

"You really want me to say something?" She asked venomously.

Sarah said to her in a tone of superiority, "How did you even think that he might like you better then me?"

"Ok, let's compare!" Rinoa agreed, "I'm smarter, I'm more mature, I don't overreact, I don't call him Squally Wally and he doesn't have to surgically remove me from his arm all the time!"

Sarah shook furiously and Rinoa concluded, "Oh by the way, that eye shadow doesn't suit you at all!"

Quistis and Selphie could only gape.  No matter to what extreme that they had seen Rinoa be pushed to, she had never reacted this way.  Sarah looked even more infuriated.

Quistis stepped through and looked as if she was examining Sarah very closely, "Yeah… She's right!  That eye shadow _so_ is not you." Her voice detained a mock imitation of Sarah's.

"That's it!" Sarah screeched, "I want to go home, _now_!!"

***

"Yes!!  She's gone!" Irvine screamed out.

Seifer grinned as he watched his comrade, "Yeah, and Squall says he coming back after he's dumped her off."

"Right, so can things get any better?" Zell asked happily, his question was directed to Rinoa.

She hadn't spoken a word since their arrival at camp, nor had she looked at anyone straight in the face either.

"Um… Rinny?" Selphie asked meekly, "Aren't you… Um… Happy?"

The 5'4", raven haired girl stood up somberly and went down the same dirt path that Sarah's mattress had been dragged down.  

Quistis wore a pained look on her face, while Selphie just looked at her go.  

Zell broke the uneasy silence, "Should I go offer her a hot dog?"

"Zell, shove the hot dog up your ass." Irvine scowled, "You guys, Plan B was a really bad idea."

"Well… It got rid of her." The happy-go-lucky girl said.

"Maybe, but now Rinoa is… Really…" Quistis didn't finish her sentence.

"Both of you should go see her." Seifer concluded, "I don't want her throwing herself into the fish lake."

***

The fish jumped and splashed the, otherwise, still lake.  Rinoa watched them go with sad eyes.  She heard crunching noise behind her and, knowing it was Selphie and Quistis, she didn't even bother to look back.

"Hey…" Quistis's voice said softly, "Are you ok?"

"You guys have no clue how stupid I feel right now…" Rinoa's voice was edgy and shaking.

"You shouldn't feel stupid." Selphie comforted her friend.

"Yeah, you kicked her ass… Well, verbally I mean." Quistis held a tone of amusement in her voice.

"You know… It's really embarrassing…" Her voice was shaking more then before.

This made Quistis worry a tad bit, "Embarrassed?  About what?"

"The whole…Bleachers thing…" She explained.

Selphie sighed, "You have nothing to be embarrassed about.  She was just in the way."

"No, she wasn't.  I was about to kiss _her_ fiancée.  _I_ was in the way and yes, I should feel embarrassed because I just can't let go and I keep falling for him."

There was a slight silence and then Rinoa spoke again, "Honestly… I get what all of you here are trying to do but you should all just stop.  Squall and I can't be together."

"Rinoa, you know… We're your best friends and we often see aspects of your life that you don't." Quistis said softly.

"Squall being one of them.  Seifer, Irvine and Zell are Squall's best friend and they also see a part of his life that he doesn't.  That being you." Selphie explained.

"So… Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I want to be the girl's godmother… Selphie can by the boy's."

"_What_?  _Are you crazy_?  I should get to be the girl's godmother!" Selphie screeched.

Rinoa rolled her eyes and forced a smile, "You guys are cracked.  And, as much as you keep trying… There isn't anything you can do about Squall and I."

***

"People, pack up now!" Seifer ordered as he saw the three girls emerging from the dirt path.

Quistis and Selphie gave him a questioning glance so he explained, "Zell said he saw this cottage to rent near a cleaner lake.  It's nearer to the metropolitan area so we can get to places quicker.  Besides… Did anyone say comfort?"  He grinned.

"And you're telling us this _now_?" Selphie asked annoyed, "I had to sleep in an uncomfortable tent for two nights and just _now_ you find a suitable habitat?" 

"That is correct…" Seifer admitted smugly.

The three girls rolled their eyes and Irvine filled in unnecessarily, "Squall should be back by eight at night or something.  We'll move out then."

***

"What the hell's happening here?" Squall raised an eyebrow at the packed tents and duffle bags.

Seifer filled him in on the details, "We've found somewhere that's more… Comfy."

"Oh**,** so you are good for something…" A nasal voice from behind Squall asked mockingly.

"Who the hell?" Squall turned around and saw… Melvin Tribal.

"Monkey-Man… How ya doing?" Seifer asked, slightly annoyed.

"I believe you should refer to me as Commander Tribal, for I am your equal."

"Equal??  How so?  Daddy's given you everything; you've never had to get off your ugly ass to get it.  You haven't even earned the position of Trabia Garden Commander!"  Seifer spat at him and Quistis had to cling onto him to stop him from beating Melvin.

"What would you know about fathers, Seifer? … You have none.  Probably the result of premature birth."

Seifer's eyes went wide and everyone could tell Melvin had hit a spot.  Seifer's eyes were sent downcast and he didn't say anything.

"You fucking asshole, who do you think you are?"  Squall yelled and went to knock Melvin's block off but something grabbed at the back of his shirt… Rinoa.

"Leonheart… Aren't you getting married this fall?" Melvin asked icily, "Actually… I'm nearing engagement actually." His eyes glanced at Rinoa.

"Who the hell would want to marry you?" Seifer laughed but was cut off abruptly.  His eyes went a little wider and his two fists clenched.

"What would you know, Almasy?  What would you know?"  Melvin spat and then walked off the camping grounds.

When he was well out of earshot Irvine said, "Wow, he goes camping here?"

"All the more reason to get the hell out." Zell concluded and started packing his bags again.

"Fuck…" Seifer whispered low enough so that no one would hear.

"Hey… Um, Squall.  I'm just curious…" Selphie said innocently, "Does Sarah talk like that all the time?  I mean… With the high-pitched voice?"

Squall rolled his eyes as a response and Irvine teased, "Okay, now seriously… What were you thinking?"

"She's got gray eyes… you can't trust that type of people."

"Fuck her eyes… Did you see her eye shadow??  It was green!  Like… _Electric_ green!!"  Quistis squealed.

Squall cut through, "Well, this couldn't get any more uncomfortable."

"I wouldn't bet on that… _Squally Wally_…" Rinoa grinned and the rest of the people exploded with laughter.  Squall only smiled and started packing his own things.

***

As Seifer solemnly piled the last duffle bag into the jeep's trunk it was about 8:30 P.M.

"Ok, we all ready to go?"  Irvine asked.

"No, you aren't."  A park ranger flashed his light into Irvine's eyes.  "I've had complaints about you people and you aren't leaving this park until you pay a fine."

"A fine?  But we haven't done anything!" Zell protested.

"Apparently not.  Mr. Tribal has complained about your hostility towards him." The ranger filed in, "Any act of violence on any customer of this park gets issued a one thousand gil fee."

"What?" Seifer nearly screamed, "We didn't do anything to Mr. Tribal!  We-"

Quistis interrupted Seifer, "Oh come on… Mr. Ranger…" She put on a flirtatious voice and looped her arm around the ranger's arm, "Can't you just… Make an exception?"

She sent eye signals to both Selphie and Rinoa.  Selphie fell along in the plan, "Yeah Mr. Ranger… Just this once …" She began massaging the ranger's shoulders.

Now both her friends gave Rinoa a look that signaled for her to do her part.  The ranger was near to cracking and the guys… Well… they looked pretty stunned.

Rinoa put on an exaggerated enticing voice that nearly made the ranger's knees buckle, "Yeah Mr. Ranger… Couldn't you please… Forget about all this." She settled her chin on the ranger's shoulder and then added, "I mean… You'd like us to come back next year wouldn't you?"

"Uh… Ah… Yah… Uh…" The ranger pulled away from the three girls and nodded quickly and nervously. "Sure, just don't do it again." And he nearly ran out of there at break-neck speed.

Selphie started to giggle and Quistis said triumphantly, "Bye bye… Sucker."

"What the hell was that?" Squall hissed and looked at the three girls.

Quistis put him up to date, "It's called 'a woman's power'."

"You three are witches, aren't you?" Zell breathed.

"You would have preferred paying a fine?" Rinoa asked Squall.

"Yes!" Squall didn't hesitate to answer.

Irvine waved away Squall and informed Rinoa, "Don't worry, he's just pissed because he wants you to speak like that to him."

"That's not it!" Squall denied and pushed Irvine away.

Seifer's head snapped up and he said, to both Rinoa and Squall, "You know…I've got a really bad feeling… Plus, I think I just figured something out… Maybe you two should…"  

"Should what?" Squall asked.

"Should get your act together…" He concluded. 

Sammy: Ha ha… And what will the two's reaction be to this?  Only I can tell… In the next chapter… That being chapter NINE!!  Tee hee hee hee.  Read and review… and give me publicity or something, ha ha.  I need more readers!

Beta's Note: And this is it folks, get you tickets now! _Review Crazed: Attack of The Sammy- Chan, Episode One _has hit Fanfiction.net! Guaranteed to be a best "seller" (even if we're not selling anything)! Write your review for admission………. And suffer at your own cost! Anyways, with that having been said, I think I took care of the publicity part! *Drums in the background* Badda boom, chhh! 

Anyways, with having been said (I think that's twice now), um, costumers do not work at campsites and people who have already mastered telePATHETIC teleportation scare me! Next thing you know, Melvin'll appear in my room! *Shudders* Scary! ****


	9. Spin the Bottle With a Twist

_Disclaimer: I do not own FF8 … no really, I don't!  Don't you believe me?_

**~Chapter 9: Spin the Bottle … With a Twist~**

"Get the what together?" Rinoa asked, pretending to have misheard.

Squall raised an eyebrow at the strawberry blond fellow, "Dude, what act?"

Seifer scowled, "Start dating or something… Before its too late."

"Ok, I have this really cheesy sensation that we're in a corny romance movie!" Rinoa waved her arms fanatically, "There is no reason Squall and I should be together… End of discussion!"

Quistis bit her bottom lip as she realized that this 'game' the rest were playing was really starting to annoy Rinoa.  Squall looked hurt but did his best to cover it up.

There was an odd silence between the group and finally Seifer grimaced, turned to his jeep and responded, "Whatever, we're going."

***

Rinoa rolled her eyes and Squall responded, "Wow, you can tell they're trying really hard."

"Yeah, no kidding."

The gang had literally forced Rinoa and Squall into the same vehicle… Alone.  "I don't even know where I'm going."

"That's great." Rinoa said through clenched teeth, "You better find out, though!"

"Relax, baby… I never get lost." Squall said on the spur of the moment.

Rinoa gaped angrily, "Did you just call me what I think you called me?"

Squall laughed nervously, "Just relax, I call everybody that…"

"Right, fancy seeing you call Seifer 'baby'."

They both enjoyed a short chuckle and Squall then asked her seriously, "So you're going into law right?  For college, I mean."

"Yeah, why?"  Rinoa responded.

"Just curious.  When we were stuck in Winhill in the summer… You told me you wanted to become a lawyer."

"Wow, you remember?" Rinoa asked, trying not to blush.

"Sure." He replied simply, deciding to avoid 'memory lane' altogether.

"So how are you?" Rinoa asked in attempt at a conversation after the short silence that followed.

"Pretty pissed." Squall replied, "Melvin can be such an asshole."

"Funny how he noticed we were in the same camping grounds as him."

"Maybe he just knew…"

"Yeah maybe… He was pretty asshole-ish to have pushed Seifer around like that." Rinoa concluded.

"I could have sworn he was looking at you in a funny way." Squall said angrily.

"Not funny." Rinoa grimaced, missing Squall's tone of voice.

"I'm not laughing!"  He said viciously.

The raven-haired 18 year-old looked at her companion, her thin eyebrows arched, "So why exactly is that pissing _you_ off.  If anything _I_ should be the worried one."

Squall didn't respond.  He valued his life and responding to her comments with an honest answer would prove otherwise.

***

"Um… It's small." Quistis said disdainfully as the seven members of the group managed to fit into the 3 and a half log cabin.  

"How are we all supposed to live in here for the rest of the week?" Rinoa asked;her curiosity pushed to an extreme, "There's only one bathroom."

"Well, we're all close friends here.  I mean, we don't mind looking at each other's night gowns and boxers right?" Seifer tried to release tension in vain, "Right?"

"Yeah, I think I'll sleep outside." Rinoa scoffed as she looked around the small chalet once more.  

"No, no, no, no, no!" Irvine interjected, "You can't sleep outside!"

"You and Squall have to share the only room with a double bed!!" Quistis snickered and forcefully pushed her best friend into the (what you would call) master bedroom.  Seifer did the same with Squall.  

The group outside of the room cogently shut the door and pressed all their body weight against it, unwilling to let the couple escape.

"Fuck!  This isn't funny!" Squall yelled and preoccupied himself by body slamming the door.

Rinoa looked calmly around the room.  One double bed, one dresser, one closet.  That was pretty much all there was to the room.  

Wait… No.  Rinoa spotted a window and tapped Squall promptly on the shoulder.  He nodded in his understanding and grinned slightly.

"You guys have to find each other!" Zell yelled as he continued to hold the door shut.

Selphie leaned her body weight against the door as well;"You know you can't do it without us!!"

"Um, do what without you?" Rinoa asked, standing in the front door's doorframe.

Squall appeared behind her, "Escape the panic room?  Oh we did that without your help."

"The fucking window!"  Seifer smacked Irvine behind the head, "You stupid asshole!  You forgot they could get out by the window!"

"You asswipe!  Or did you forget we're in a bungalow here?!" Quistis took her turn bashing at Irvine.

"Well what the hell was I supposed to do about the freaking window?" He retorted in self-defense.

Squall and Rinoa watched their (fairly) pathetic friends argue, amusement glinting in their eyes.

"Now let's get the sleeping arrangement straight." Rinoa rubbed her hands together. "I will sleep in the second room.  On the top bunk!  Irvine and Selphie will get the master room because they make a lot of noise!  The rest of the arrangement is up to you!" She looked at Squall.

"Seifer gets the bottom of the second bunk, Quistis gets the bottom of your bunk and I get the top second bunk.  Zell, your sleeping on the couch because you also make funny noises… They just aren't the same as Irvine's and Selphie's." Squall concluded and then asked the shocked gang, "So now what should we do?"

***

"Ok, this is going to be fun.  It is like strip poker except with spin the bottle!" Seifer informed.

"You spin the bottle, and whoever it points to you get to ask a question.  _Any_ question.  If that person can't answer, or does not want to answer they take a piece of clothing off.  Then its their turn to spin the bottle."

"Ok, I'm sticking to the sidelines." Rinoa said.

"Hell no."  Quistis confirmed, "You are playing with us!"

"Then I spin the bottle first." Rinoa ordered.

"Chh… Fine." Zell grimaced.

 Rinoa spun around the empty beer bottle, and it pointed at Quistis.  The younger girl grinned mischievously, "Quistis, remember our Spanish teacher?  Mr. Cassenada?  In grade 11."

Quistis' eyes literally bulged out of her head as Rinoa went on, "Well, you gotta admit he was pretty good looking.  Now my question is, you managed to pass Spanish with an 89% average… While your test marks were… 30%… 40%… and still you managed to get an 89% average?  Do tell me how you managed that."

"You think I did something with that guy?" Quistis nearly squealed as the rest tried to retain their laughter.

"Nooo…" Rinoa responded, "Just curious, that's all."

"Ok, fine!" Quistis grimaced at Rinoa and took off her socks, "I _so_ refuse to answer that question."

Quistis spun the bottle and it pointed to… Squall. "Squally… Wally." Quistis smirked and Squall blushed slightly at his visions of the possible questions that could be asked. 

"Ok, how 'far have you gotten with Rinoa'?" Quistis beamed at the torturous position she had her prey locked in.

"Hey that isn't fair!' Rinoa cried out in panic, "We aren't even dating!"

"Well, when you _were_ dating!" Quistis argued back.

"We never dated either!" Rinoa glared at Quistis.

Quistis smirked and said simply, "That didn't keep you from going to the bases, did it?"

Squall went redder (if humanly possible) and Rinoa was literally plotting to kill Quistis.  "So are you going to answer?"

"We went to first base." Squall managed to choke incoherently.

"What? That's it?"  Selphie asked incredulously.

"Yes!" Rinoa responded, "That is it!"

"You people are so freaking lame." Zell said in awe.

Squall clenched his teeth and hissed, "Oh go to hell, man!" And then gripped the bottle in his own hands and spun it around.

So two enjoyable hours went by…

***

"Yo, he's lying on the dock by the lake.  Go see your boyfriend, Rinoa.  I'm scared he'll jump into that leech filled lake."  Seifer observed through a nice picture window that viewed the lake.

"He's not my boyfriend and therefore I won't go see him." Rinoa was a tad bit aggravated.  She thanked the gods that the stupid 'Spin the Bottle' game was over.  Squall had then escaped to the outside world and there were less embarrassing situations.

"Oh just go!" Quistis scowled, "It wouldn't hurt you in any way, shape or form!"

"Fine…" Rinoa growled angrily and went out through the front door to descend down to the dock.

The cool night breeze brushed against his face.  He liked feeling this way.  Calm, cool, collected and best of all the feeling that he was beginning to feel sober again.

He stared up at the stars and the velvet sky, wondering what the hell he was doing here.  Suddenly an angelic face peered over him and a foot nudged his ribs.

"Hey, you ok?" Her silver voice asked.

He grunted and rose to a sitting position, "Yeah."

She sat down next to him and he felt this feeling of hope surge and swell like a bubble inside him.  

Se scooted over next to her more and asked**; **"You know, you really are beautiful…" He leaned in towards her so that his nose was touching her cheek.

"Yeah, and you're an asshole.  You could have taken off your socks instead of answering that stupid question."

"Oh give me a break." He grunted, "It isn't as bad as if I have said we'd been to third… or if we'd hit home."

"Maybe, but it's nobody's business."

"Nah, I guess not." He admitted, "So can I kiss you now?"

She turned around to face him, "Hm… I don't know."

"Well, too bad." He responded and he leaned in planting a kiss on her lips.

Sammy: Ok, hello.  Um… this was an odd chapter, I realize but TOO BAD!!!  Ha ha ha ha… um… read and review??

Beta's Note: To respond to the urges of… Ahem,  "More Squinoa action", our wonderful writer has answered the call of the reviewer and wrote it for you.  Now I that I have sung my praises, you sing yours. (Yes, "our wonderful writer" was it. Want more? Fine. Here it is then: In accord with a rightful mind, I, Jocko, would like to say that had this been a novel, it would be at the top of the New York Times Best Seller list and could quite possibly win a Newberry Prize. Her writing is inspiring [ever wonder where mine came from?] and that it should be framed and kept in a museum.) Write a review. 


	10. Wax

Disclaimer: I do not own FF8 … wow … I just made a normal disclaimer … ha ha ha … well butter my ass and call me a biscuit …

****

**~Chapter 10: Wax~**

****

"Omigosh!!  They're _kissing_!!" Selphie squealed while she looked out of the picture window overlooking the lake and the dock.

"What?  What??" Quistis shoved the smaller girl aside to take a better look, "Omigod, they are!!"

Seifer looked at the two mesmerized girls, "Wow, you people have no lives."

Selphie shot him a glare, "We do!  We just find it amazing that we actually got our best friends to suck face."

Irvine and Zell grinned and Seifer snapped his fingers, "I've got an idea."

***

Rinoa pulled away slightly and Squall said, "So… Um… Who's Mr. Cassenada?"

"A Spanish teacher." She responded.

Squall smiled, "You think Quistis had an affair with him or something?"

Rinoa gave off a short laugh, "Are you kidding me?  The guy was married… His brother however… Was…"

"Was what?" Squall asked.

She paused, as if hesitating and then said calmly, "He was very… Good-looking." She said, unable to find a suitable synonym.

"Good-looking?" Squall asked, trying to hide his jealousy, "Meaning you found him good-looking?"

"Yes, is there a problem?" She asked, amused and she pushed Squall into a lying down position.

"Good-looking as in…" Squall refused to change the subject, "You mean… Good-looking as in… Better then me?"

At this, Rinoa burst out laughing, "Squall, what the hell?  Are you fishing for compliments?"

"No…" Squall was actually serious, "You found him better looking then me?"

She rolled her eyes, loomed over the lying figure and then said, a hint of sarcasm showing through, "Oh no, definitely not better looking then you, _Squally Wally_." 

And she bent down to kiss him again.

***

"It's oddly quiet…" Rinoa observed as she entered the cabin. 

Squall peered over to a supposedly sleeping Zell on the couch, "They're all asleep."

Then, as if being struck by a bolt of lightning, both their eyes went wide and the dashed to the room with the two bunk beds.

Rinoa snapped the light on and she expected what she saw.  Selphie was sleeping in what would have been Rinoa's bunk, and Irvine had taken Squall's bunk.  Leaving the double bed in the other room to the reluctant couple.

"Get out of my bed!" Rinoa hissed at her friend.

Selphie grinned, eyes closed, "Sorry, it's my bed now."

"Nuh-un!" Rinoa protested, "I called it!"

"Like an old French saying says, …" Then Quistis took on a thick accent, _"__Celui qui __va a la chasse, __perd __sa place."_

"What?" Rinoa raised an eyebrow, "Talk to me in English, please."

"What she meant was: Since you aren't in the bed, it's not yours anymore." Selphie laughed.

"You people are evil!" Rinoa whined and Squall was attempting to threaten Irvine out.

"Dude, you know if I get out, but my girlfriend doesn't then I get to share a bed with yours?" Irvine smirked and Seifer laughed from under him.

"Asshole…" Squall muttered under his breath.

"I'm not sharing a bed with anyone." Rinoa looked determined.

***

Two hours later, after arguing and screaming and countless pillow fights an arrangement was settled.

"Ok, you stay on your side, I'll stay on mine." Rinoa said icily and was obviously not too happy.

Squall shifted to the edge of the bed, "Fine.  This wasn't exactly how I anticipated my first night in the same bed as you but hey!"

His response was a smack in the face with a pillow, though that didn't stop his smart comments, "Hey, a guy can dream right?  Course when he wakes up and the bed sheets are all wet then you know his dream was rated R."

"Shut up!  Shut up!  Shut up!!" Rinoa hissed at him and hit him again with her pillow.

"Oh by the way, I have a tendency to start humping things in my sleep." Squall informed her.

Rinoa cringed and shoved Squall off the edge of the bed, muttering, "Pervert!"

"I was joking!" Squall tried to explain but he was thrown his pillow from the top of the bed, and in replacement for a good-night kiss he got a, "And you better stay down there!"

***

Squall groaned his morning greeting and sat down in a chair, "Someone please walk on my back."

Seifer looked up from his coffee mug, "What the hell?"

"My back hurts." Squall grunted his complaints, "She made me sleep on the floor."

Irvine began choking on his toast in laughter.  Seifer and Zell only grinned their amusement.

"Ha ha ha…" Squall mimicked sarcastically, "As soon as I'm healthier I'm gonna kick your sorry asses."

Seifer chuckled, "Love to see you try.  Last time we fought, we cut our fucking faces up." He was referring to his and Squall's scar.

"Yeah, well that was in a competition.  Title for strongest military figure." Squall scowled, and he started rubbing his back.

"We're going to a wax museum today!" Zell said gleefully, "In town!  It'll be so cool!"

***

"A wax museum?" Quistis asked, not very amused, "A freaking wax museum?"

"Like, those stupid wax statues?" Selphie asked incredulously.

"Did you… Hit your head or something?" Rinoa asked Seifer.

The group walked on a white, paved sidewalk through the urbanized streets of the little northern village.  Normally, people would think of villages as country places though this one was far from fitting the description.  Shops and stalls were set up, movie theaters and hotels.  A perfect, little tourist town.

"It's a scary wax museum!" Irvine explained, "Kind of like a haunted house, you walk in this dark hallway and look through windows at a scene.  Like Frankenstein and then you press these buttons to make the wax figures talk."

"So it's a crappy imitation of a haunted house?" Quistis spoke disdainfully.

"Exactly… And sometimes you actually go through things like they made a jungle scene with a hallway."

(Extra information: If any of you have been in the scary wax museum in Lake George U.S.A. then you know what I'm talking about.  Yes… The one with the Frankenstein right out the entry door!)

"Right…" Selphie said sarcastically, "This is going to be really fun…"

Suddenly, a tall, burly figure started walking alongside of the girls.  He was a 5'7" macho man.

"Hello!" He made a growling noise at Rinoa, "How'd you like to come with me?"

Rinoa raised both of her eyebrows at the man of about her age and responded, "Wow, big muscles.  Are they making up for a thing or two?"   

"I was thinking you could be the judge of that." He grinned at Rinoa mischievously.

Rinoa, however, did not have the time to give her reply for the brawny man was pushed against a nearby shop wall, his feet slightly dangling some centimeters above the sidewalk. 

Squall Leonheart held the 'gentleman' by the collar of his shirt, his teeth clenched, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Rinoa placed her hand gently on Squall's arm, "Woah, let him go!"

"Sh-sh-shit, man, sorry!" The guy cried out helplessly, "I didn't know she was your sister!"

"Sister?" Squall was even more pissed and raised him further, "She isn't my sister, she's my girl-" He stopped himself and looked towards Rinoa.  Her left eyebrow was arched in an inquisitive glare.

No… She was not his girlfriend; he had to remind himself of that.  Nor had she ever been, nor will she ever be.  He put the man down reluctantly and gave him one last death glare.  The group began to walk on.

"What the hell was that you crazy bastard!?" Rinoa hissed at Squall, "What's your problem?"

"Maybe you should be thanking me!" Squall retorted, "Is that really the type of guy you like to go out with?"

"No, but I had the situation perfectly under control!" She slapped him in the back of the head, "You were making a freaking scene!"

"Oh shut up you spoiled little brat!" Squall said through grit teeth, "You're such a freaking bitch!"

"And you're delusional!"  She took on an exaggerated moronic voice, "Sister, oh she isn't my sister she's my girlfriend, yaah!" 

"Well you certainly aren't my sister!" Squall spat, "And I'm glad you aren't my girlfriend!"

He regretted immediately saying those last words, for he knew they weren't true.  She, however, didn't seem the least bit fazed, "And you think I'd want you to be my boyfriend?  I feel bad for Sarah right now!"

"Enough!" Seifer grabbed Squall by the back of his shirt and yanked him backwards, "I have the impression that I'm in a freaking tennis match, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth!  Would both of you just shut up?"

"See, look, there's the wax museum or haunted house or whatever.  Can't you two get along for the rest of the trip?"

"Whatever." Squall said.

Rinoa grimaced and responded, "If he stays out of my line of sight." And she walked on.

***

It was unusually dark.  The group of seven identified themselves as being in a narrow corridor, the only sources of light were electric candles (and they were few in number) and glowing red buttons on panels that were entitled 'Push here for cool sound and visual effects…"

Selphie went up to a button and pushed it, a glowing light emitted from the window parallel to it and a great big looming wax statue was looming over a mutilated woman's wax body.  Behind the looming figure another was shown, a young witness covering her face.  

From out of nowhere a loud piercing shriek was heard and words were projected, "Help!  Murder, murder, murder!!"

On the explanation panel it read, 'Insane Madman'.

"That was not a cool sound effect." Rinoa's voice was barely a squeak.

Zell's voice quivered slightly, "Nor was it a cool visual effect."

Squall, Seifer and Irvine laughed, "You're both wusses."

The group of five moved on and two figures stayed behind. 

"Wow, you sure are good at hitting it off with girls!" Seifer hissed at Squall.

If it was light enough to see Squall's expression, Seifer would have noticed that it was bitter and saddened, "Damn, she hates me."

"I don't know." Seifer admitted, "Let's just go."

***

"Um… There are no longer any lights or buttons." Quistis remarked, her voice detaining a hint of a tremble. 

As soon as she said so, lights beamed and they saw that the tiny corridor had enlarged into a full fenced in room.  From the ceiling sleeping bags were hanging, wriggling with life.  A booming voice sounded the area, 

"You have entered the tourist trap… Ma ha ha ha ha…"

Quistis shrieked and latched onto Seifer's arm, closing her eyes tightly, Selphie jumped at Irvine's neck and would not let go.

Rinoa shoved her face into Squall's chest, shaking with surprise and alarm.  Her hands hung on tightly to the side of his shirt.  The only thing he found to do with his hands was to put them on her waist.

"Ok, you girls are overreacting here."  Seifer commented as he tried to wrench his arm free, "These are electronic bots covered in wax…"

"And we have just lost Zell." Irvine informed.

"He's become one of _them_!!!" Quistis shrieked and pointed to a wriggling sleeping bag.

Rinoa pressed her body closer to Squall's and Selphie cried out, "And we're next!!"

"Oh hell, this is getting out of control.  Zell's right where we entered." Seifer pointed in the direction of the entrance of 'The Tourist Trap'.

Zell stood there, shaking with fear, "I'm not going in there."

Irvine rolled his eyes and said, "Come on man… This is the only way out of here."

"I'm not going in there." Zell repeated, the terror, not gone from his voice.

"Dude, I am going to go there and kick your ass if you don't get over here now!" Seifer threatened.  

With that he began dragging Quistis, who was still latched onto him, out of the room, "We're going."

***

The group kept going down the dimly lit corridor, leaving 'The Tourist Trap' behind them.  

Suddenly, a green light illuminated from fake bushes.  Behind the shrubbery a wooden sign was raised.

"Watch your feet…" Seifer read. 

"Watch your feet??  Why?  What for?" Rinoa's tone held a psychotic edge to it. 

"Lemme check." Seifer replied and he walked on for a little while.  "Oh… It's all mushy here… Be careful when you walk you might trip."

"Ok…" Quistis began to walk herself, then Irvine, then Selphie, then Zell and finally Rinoa.

"So who suggested coming here again?" She asked as she stepped carefully through the mushy floor, attempting her best to see where she was going because it was still fairly dark.

"Irvine…" Squall responded, "Is this what the 'surprise' was?  The one you told us about at breakfast?"

"Yep." Irvine's voice came from the other end of the obstacle.

"I'm going to kill you." Rinoa hissed at him.

Squall began trekking on the mushy floor as well and he caught up with Rinoa, "Don't scream, I'm right behind you."

"I knew that." She said, mentally cursing herself for she was about to let off a shriek just then and there.

He slipped his hands on her waist and urged her forward.

***

"Well, Rinoa, we've reached the part where you just drop dead on the floor." Seifer concluded.

"Shut the hell up!" Rinoa countered, "I can so get through this."

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…" Squall joked behind her.

There was an extremely narrow bridge, going through a tube and in this specific tube stars were spinning around along with different shady colors, making the poor victim on the bridge feel nausea, confusion and achieve an extreme state of clumsiness.

Squall got up on the bridge and walked across with relative ease, "There's nothing to it." He said from the other side.

Rinoa reluctantly got up onto the bridge and started to inch forward.  The spinning got to her head and she felt her heart jump up to her throat.  Needless to say she nearly passed out.  

She clung onto the railing tightly, taking baby steps.  The spinning seemed to be intensifying… Or was that just her head?

Finally she made it across and looked to Squall triumphantly, "See, told you I could."

"Yeah, over a span of 50 years." His response was a smack in the head.

***

To the girls' relief, the group stepped out into the warming sunshine.  They were out of the horror house.  The guys, however, seemed to think it was the 'coolest thing ever'.  Well… Irvine, Squall and Seifer did.  Zell still seemed shaken from the Tourist Trap but his mood lightened.

"Guys look!" He pointed at the entrance of the 'Horror Museum'.  "It's another stupid statue!"

They all turned to the tall Frankenstein model right outside the entrance door as Zell went right beside it, "It looks so stupid!  Ahahahaha!!!" Zell smacked the statue on the arm and his eyes went wide…

"That arm felt real…" He said in a nervous laugh.  And indeed the arm was real as the 'statue' lifted its thick arms and grabbed Zell's shoulder.

"AAAAAAAAAH!!" Zell yelled out in panic and dashed from the grasp of Frankenstein, running down the perfected sidewalks of the northern village as his friends behind him laughed out loud.

Sammy: Wow, ok.  Weird I know.  I don't think there's another fanfic on this site that includes the FF8 gang going to a horror wax museum.  Heh heh… Well, this is actually based on lived facts (Yes, this has happened to me…).  So anyways, please read and review and I sure hope you enjoyed it.  Not many SQUINOA moments but heey… Please review!

Beta's Note: Let the rabid monkeys terrorize Sam for not writing enough mushy-gushy crap. ^.^ Nah, I'm just joking.  Anyways, our gracious author (I'm getting paid to say that! :D) has written more. I have three words to say: Good Job, Sam! Heh! Yeah, um… Anyways, sing your praises and they will "Sound beautiful" (Heh! Ms. C. for ya)… Actually, sadly, they won't say a word, but will encourage The Holy One (I am getting paid for this! :D) to write. Heh! Oh, on a last word, don't butter her ass and call her a biscuit; that's just nasty.****


	11. A Bear Named Squall

_Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII or any of its characters.  All those things are in the good, reliable hands of SQUARESOFT._

Chapter 11: A Bear Named Squall

****

"Tomorrow, we go to the amusement park!!" Selphie bounced on the whitewashed sidewalks and pointed to the immense roller coaster, visible through the gaps of the tiny roofs of the town.

Irvine gazed at the general direction, "Well, it's really near to the town."

The rest of the group looked onto the shops and stalls, "I say we go shopping…" Quistis suggested.

"No, I'm hungry!  Let's go eat hotdogs…" Zell said.

His response was a sharp smack in the head from Seifer, "Do you think of anything else other then freakin' hotdogs?"

"Yes." His eyes narrowed slightly at the passing of a pretty girl in a miniskirt.

This provoked an annoyed groan from Rinoa's part.  

"I say we go eat first…" Squall suggested lightly, trying to avoid the horror of going 'shopping'.  He had done it several times with Sarah and the outcome was never good on his part.  It was especially hard on his credit card.

"Fine… _Then_ we'll go shopping." Quistis grinned at him triumphantly.

  
Selphie bounced up and down, "Yeah!!!  Lots and lots of shopping!"

Squall grunted in annoyance and unwillingness.

***

"Pass the fries." 

"No, they're mine."

"Give me the freakin' fries."

"No… I like them, thank you very much."

"Look, you give me the fries or I'll shove this bottle of ketchup up your ass."

"Go ahead and try, stupid little bitch!"

"Give me the fries!"

"No!" 

"Squall, give her the fries!" Seifer slammed his fist on the diner table as to put an end to their pitiful argument.

Squall looped his arm around the carton of fries protectively, "Mine!"

"You are so immature!" Rinoa sighed in infuriation.

***

"Shopping!" Quistis exclaimed, obviously in her natural element … a mall.

Selphie bounced in agreement and enthusiasm, "Shopping!  _Almost_ as good as coffee!"

The four gentlemen groaned and slapped their foreheads in reluctance.  Rinoa just grinned, cool and collected, her glee didn't break out like Quistis' or Selphie's.  

"Ok, let's go into a sports store or something… _Please_!" Seifer begged.

Irvine pleaded along side of him, "Or maybe a videogame store!"

Squall beseeched, "I don't care if we go shopping for furniture… Just please not-" 

"Clothes!" The three girls exclaimed in unison.

***

"Fine Lingerie!" Quistis grinned maliciously as she dragged Seifer by the collar into the boutique.

"No… Please!  Anything but an underwear store!" Squall wailed as he too was dragged in, then lastly Irvine and Zell were hauled into the store.

"Wow, this would look really attractive on you Irvy!" Selphie held up a pair of leopard-patterned underwear.

Irvine gaped, "I am _not_ putting that on!" 

"Wow, this would look so cute on you, Seifer!" And Quistis pointed to a pair of white boxers with pink and purple hearts.

Seifer wrinkled his nose and Zell miraculously disappeared behind a clothing rack (and if we followed him further we would see him dashing out of the door).

"Hey Rinoa!" Squall called, "I would pay you to try this on and show it to me." He showed a skimpy little laced outfit.

Rinoa glared menacingly at him and responded, "I would pay you to jump off a building." 

He grinned sheepishly and put the scanty outfit back onto the rack. 

***

Rinoa listened to the breathing next to her.  He was so close that she was beginning to regret allowing him to sleep in the same bed as her.  Well… She couldn't really make him sleep on the floor again, could she?

She pondered for a moment and decided she liked having him so close… like a bodyguard.  She subconsciously wiggled closer to him.  He was asleep, a peaceful expression on his face.  

She too, slowly closed her eyes and drifted off into a dream.

The gunblade cut the air with swishing noises.  It swung right and left and made nice diagonal, vertical and horizontal slashes.  

The 13-year-old boy seemed in deep concentration, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.  

_"What are you trainin' for?" The 11-year-old girl asked.  _

_"The competition coming up this fall!" He stopped for a moment and wiped his brow, "The world's strongest fighter'll be there!  Seifer said he was going to join, so now I am too!"_

_"Oh ok…" She understood._

_Deciding to take a break he went over and sat next to her under the large poplar tree in the vast field of flowers that stretched across Winhill._

_"You know what?" He asked her._

_After a moment of pondering, she responded, "What?"_

_"If I win this competition, there's a chance that I might be accepted into Balamb Garden… And if I pass my SeeD examination, I could take a shot at Commander!"_

She smiled at him, "That's great!" 

_"Then we could get married and have a dog and two kids."_

_She giggled slightly and smiled.  He took out a ring from his pocket, "Promise?"_

_"Promise." She repeated and he handed her the platinum ring._

_"This is a promise ring… You give it to your soul mate." He explained, "Keep it with you always."_

_"Ok." She smiled and took off her silver chain around her necklace and slipped the ring in the chain. _

In her sleep Rinoa's hand shifted from her side and around her neck to where the same chain and ring were still worn.

Squall's fluttered as he awakened by her silent gesture.  She was so close.  He slipped his arm around her sleeping body and closed his eyes once more.

***

Up… Down… Right… Left.  At one hundred miles per hour, feet dangling off the plastic coated seat, the wind rushed through their hair, heart pumping fast in their throats.  Nauseous feelings overwhelm them.

Finally, the ride was over.  "I'm going to hurl!" Rinoa walked, dazed off of the roller coaster.

"That hot dog is resurfacing…"

The young kids looked at the seven young adults stumble and fall from the adrenaline from the last ride.  

One of the young kids in the queue line tugged on his father's shirt and said, "Daddy, I don't want to go on this ride anymore." 

***

"The River Of Dreams my ass." Seifer complained.  

Quistis squealed in glee, "I used to love this ride!"

"Yeah, when you were five!" Rinoa tried explaining.

"Yeah, but see, this is for all ages… So we're going!!!" Quistis immediately got into the waiting line.

"Oh, is this where you're in a boat and you ride past animals on lily pads playing banjos?" Selphie asked enthusiastically.

"That's the one!" Quistis clapped her hands together excitedly.

"Ok, I really don't want to go now!" Seifer groaned.

***

"See… It's so nice in here." Quistis giggled as they passed a bear in a straw hat playing the guitar.

"Shove over Zell!" Squall complained from the backbench, in the middle of Rinoa and Zell.

Irvine, Selphie, Quistis and Seifer were crammed into the front bench, "You're one to complain about the lack of space!"

"Stop shifting Squall!" Rinoa pleaded, "I'm think I'm going to be sick from that other ride."

"Hey, hey, HEY!" Squall yelled in a panic, "Stop turning my way!  Blow chunks the other way!" In his frenzy he smashed into Zell who tumbled into the water on which the boat was floating.

"AAHH!" He yelped.

"Oh shit!  What are we supposed to do now?" Irvine asked.

"Zell, people'll get you out!  Just… Keep your head above the water!"

"Thanks for the tips!" He yelled back sarcastically as the boat just kept floating.

***

"So what happened?"  Seifer grinned as Zell walked out of a first aid cabin at the end of the park.

Zell rushed immediately to Squall and hugged him, "Thank you, man!  Thank you so much for throwing me off!"

"What?" Squall asked, confused.

"The hottest girl came to my rescue!" Zell obviously seemed really hyper at this point.  "She likes hotdogs, martial arts and look!!"

He fumbled in his wet jeans pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper, "I got her number!"

The remaining six stared blankly and finally Rinoa spoke up, "That's… Great, Zell."

***

"200 gil for a try!  Everyone is a winner!" A man threw a ball at Squall and asked, "You up to it young man."

"I don't play a cheater's game." He replied, throwing the ball back to him, knowing very well that these games were all set up.

"Ma'am is that your boyfriend?" He looked at Rinoa who was walking right next to Squall.

She blinked once or twice and was about to reply when Selphie interrupted her, "Yes!"

"Well maybe you should tell him he's a wuss.  Does he fail in theregions of the bedroom?"

Once again, Rinoa was lost for words.  How the hell would she know?

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Squall said through clenched teeth, "Fine, let's play you're kindergarten leveled game!"

The man grinned as he saw his prey fall into the trap.  Squall handed the man two hundred gil and yanked the ball away from him.  

"Knock over every bottle and you win a teddy bear." 

Squall chucked the ball at the bottles, knocking every one of them down.  The man's eyes bulged out in wonder.  What was that guy behind the bottles thinking?  He should be concentrating on keeping the freaking bottles up!  

"Gimme the freaking bear, mofo." Squall grinned in triumph.  

The man 'hmph'ed and handed a teddy bear to Squall.  Its eyes were ebony black and it's soft, brown, velvety exterior shielded the cotton stuffing.  Its half circled ears were perfect and his muzzle stuck out with a pink little nose.

"That's so cute!" Selphie squealed.  

Squall looked at it and tossed it to Rinoa, "I'm not carrying this thing around.  I've got a reputation to uphold."

"Oh, so you're giving it to me?" Rinoa rolled her eyes.

"Name it Squall, Rinoa." Seifer laughed.

Quistis joined in, "Yeah, this way you'll have something to cuddle at night."

Rinoa gave them both a death glare that silenced them.

Sammy-Chan: Woo… Yeah!  Holy shit I am SO happy today and I'm not even sure why (Rest assured, I am not on drugs) But yeah!  I feel so… Happy.  *Bounces in her chair* And now I just finished another chapter!  Weee hee hee hee hee!!!  *Dances around* Well … anyways.  Read and review! 


	12. I'd Do Anything

Disclaimer: I do not own FF8.  It is the property of SQUARESOFT.  

Chapter 12: I'd Do Anything 

****

****

****

"Squall, just stay on your freaking side."  Rinoa shifted slightly to the edge of the bed.

Squall squirmed, "You didn't seem to mind me so close last night!"

"I was sleeping!" She hissed back, "Now I'm awake and it's pissing me off."

"Yeah, well I was asleep too.  I woke up and you were the one practically on top of me." He countered.

"I didn't do it purposely… You were the one who linked your arms around me."

"And that didn't seem to bother you too much either."

"Because I didn't notice." Rinoa replied, her jaw clenching in aggravation.  

Squall stayed silent for a moment and shifted nearer to Rinoa.  This causing her to shove him to his side and smash his head in his pillow, temporarily suffocating him.

"Stay there!!" She ordered while drowning him in the soft cushion.

When his face surfaced he grabbed her wrists playfully and whispered in her ear, "Don't you _dare_ mess with the best!"

***

Seifer lay on his back on the top bunk.  He listened carefully for any sounds that may interrupt the peacefulness of the chalet.  He could only hear the quiet breathing of his roommates and the snoring coming from the living room.  Then suddenly, from the room right next to his, a loud thumping noise was heard, followed by a very loud, "That hurt, you asshole!"

Shifting his right eyebrow higher than the left, he jumped off the bunk bed and decided to investigate.  His companions had obviously heard the same thing that he had for they were all awake and out of the covers a few seconds later.

Zell's snoring had stopped and he was now sitting on the couch, ears alert.

Seifer simply walked by him, into Squall and Rinoa's room and flicked on the lights.  Squall was looming over the edge of the bed triumphantly.

"Ohh yeah!  Guess who's sleeping on the floor tonight?" And with that he chucked down a pillow at Rinoa.

"I'm going to kill you!" She screamed back at him, leaped on the bed and wrestled him, face first, back into his own pillow.

"Woohoo!" Selphie yelped and went back into her room to grab all the pillows she could find.

"Pillow fight!" Quistis declared as Selphie came back with the pillows and handed one to Quistis.

"Oh good god, no!" Rinoa had the time to say just before a pillow was flung at her face.

Seifer grinned sardonically and picked up his own pillow, joining in as well.  He swung at Quistis and hit her right in the head.

Squall, who had recovered from his first attacker, had equipped himself with a deadly… erm… _Harmless_ pillow.  Irvine, who's pillow was under Selphie's control (She had chosen to have double the attack power), grabbed Zell's pillow and yelled out like a 'warrior' rushing onto the battle field.

"Dude, my pillow!" Zell yelled out in vain.

For fifteen minutes straight, all Zell could hear was muffled shouts, smacking pillow noises as they hit the _innocent _victims' head and lots of feet stamping on the floor.  Finally, the doorbell rang and he went to answer it.

"Is everything okay in there?" The concerned neighboring vacationer asked.

With pillow feathers fluttering out of the room in the background, Zell simply replied, "Oh yeah… I'm actually a scientist.  Right now I'm testing the effects of the drug 'Speed' on rabid monkeys."

***

"Oh, how about this one!" Quistis grinned, "There was this one urban legend that talks about a girl who came back from a long night of partying and deciding that her roommate was asleep, she didn't turn on the lights.

"And in the morning she woke up, her roommate was dead and there was blood on the mirror saying 'Good thing you didn't turn on the lights.'" 

Squall finished dully, "Everyone's heard that one."

Quistis simply stuck his tongue out at him, "You ruined it!"

"Quistis, that isn't true." Zell stated.

She grimaced, "Of course it is!"

"Well I have one!" Selphie piped up.

The group was sitting on Rinoa and Squall's bed, exchanging 'scary' stories.  Quistis and Selphie were the ones doing the exchange for Rinoa was slightly wavering back and forth between the awake and sleeping world.  Squall was leaning against the headboard, partially listening.  Seifer and Irvine had fallen asleep and Zell was taking all this in, trying to prove them wrong (Not admitting that they were scaring the crap out of him).

"There was this couple who were having car problems!" She began, "So the boyfriend went out to get help and the girl stayed in the car.  After a few minutes she heard scraping noises and then a little later on a police officer escorted out of the car and told her not to look back."

"But she did and saw her boyfriend's corpse hanging from a tree branch, scraping the roof of the car."  

Rinoa mumbled audibly, "These aren't scary."

"You two are ruining them!" Selphie and Quistis shrieked, waking up Seifer and Irvine with a start.

Rinoa looked at them irritatingly, "When I want your stupid stories, I'll slap you in the back of the head and wake up the peg-legged hamster that runs your wheel of thought!"

Quistis gaped, "That is _so_ mean!  My operating hamster is _not_ peg-legged!"

"Yeah, Rinoa.  That was mean.  Quistis' brain-operating hamster is not peg-legged." 

Squall agreed, "It's _no-legged_."

Seifer, Irvine, Selphie and Rinoa all erupted into fits of laughter as Quistis fumed at the ears.  Zell looked confusedly about the room, "I don't get it… What's so funny?"

***

"Selphie, your cooking sucks!" Zell complained, "I asked for a hotdog… Not eggs.  Hot… Dog…" He articulated his last few words.

Seifer spat out his bacon, "This food isn't worth the scrapings off a pig's ass!"

"That's where it came from, Seifer.  From your ancestor's ass!" Quistis fumed, "Men are such fuckers!"

"You say one lousy thing about the food and I'll slit your throat!" Rinoa warned, holding a butter knife to Squall's throat before he could open his mouth.

Squall gasped, "The cook is an assassin!" Feeling no uneasiness at the butter knife against his Adam's apple.

"Zell, you don't eat hotdogs for breakfast!" Selphie screeched.

"Sure you do…" Irvine protested, "You drink beer for breakfast too… What the fuck do you call this?" He sniffed the glass disdainfully, "Milk?"

"Rinoa, your food is fine." Squall said, trying to ease away the knife, "I love your food.  I'd eat it everyday!  Mmm …" He chewed exaggeratedly, "Good!"

Rinoa's smacked her forehead in annoyance, "If brains were electricity, you wouldn't have enough power to run the dynamo in a fire-fly's ass!"

***

"A karaoke bar?  No thanks.  Let's go back to the chalet."  

"Stop being boring!  It'll be fun!" Quistis grinned, "I never said you had to sing."

"But you hear crappy people crappily singing along to crappy songs and that sounds crappy enough to me!" Rinoa protested.

"Well, _you_ can always go up to the microphone if you want!" Selphie grinned as well.

Rinoa chuckled silently, "I don't think so."

"You girls are so slow!  Come on, we're going inside!" Irvine called from up ahead and entered the edifice labeled with a red neon sign 'Karaoke Bar'.

***

She watched intently as the performer on stage actually played a guitar with a fair amount of know-how.  She didn't know people could actually be talented in these dingy bars.  Well… You learn something new everyday.

"Beer…?" Squall offered.

She shook her head and waved away the bottle, "I don't drink."

"Ok." He nodded his understanding, "Say, what's so amazing about that guy anyways?"

"What guy?" She arched an eyebrow at him.

He pouted in a child-like way, "The guy you've been staring at… On stage."

"Nothing's amazing about him except the fact that he can actually play guitar." She explained, rolling her eyes at his jealousy.

He snorted, "I can play guitar too, you know?"

"Sure you can." She smiled wryly.

"I can.  I'll prove it to you." He went and smacked Seifer's shoulder and whispered something into his ear.

In turn, Seifer patted Irvine on the back and Irvine got the attention of Zell.  Finally the conference of the four guys ended and they returned to the ladies.

"How much you guys wanna bet we're gunna blow the roof off of this place?" Seifer grinned.

"With your musical talent?  Ha." Quistis mocked.

Selphie bounced, "Irvine, hunny, you can't sing…not even if your life depended on it."

"Come on, girls!  If you think we have no musical talent then why don't you bet?" Zell confronted.

"Fine." Quistis agreed, "I will pay the drinks for all of you if you don't make fools out of yourselves on stage."

"And I'll treat you guys at the all-you-can-eat rotisserie!" Selphie offered.

"Rinoa?" Seifer asked.

"Wait, she won't bet money." Squall said and looked at Rinoa, "If I rock at what I do… You kiss me."

Quistis and Selphie made a loud 'Oooh'ing noise.  "_Why does he have to embarrass me like this?_" Rinoa thought, "No way.  What do I get if I win?"

"I'll give you your initial bed back." Selphie offered.

"There you go." Squall grinned his thanks to Selphie.

"Fine… It's on." Rinoa prayed to the gods that this wasn't so risky after all.

***

Zell banged the drums; Irvine played the keyboard; Seifer did his thing on the bass and Squall on the electric guitar.  They did look a little odd and professional for this sort of bar but who isn't a little cracked up north?

They all started playing (surprisingly good) like a normal band would.  First thing that shocked the girls was that they were actually playing well.  No out of beat, no screeching of the guitars, no wronged keys.  The next thing that shocked them all was when Squall opened his mouth.

He could sing… On tune… And well.

"_Another day is going by  
I'm thinking about you all the time  
But you're out there  
And I'm here waiting  
  
And I wrote this letter in my head  
'Cuz so many thing were left unsaid  
But now you're gone  
And I can't think straight  
  
This could be the one last chance   
To make you understand_  
  
_I'd do anything  
Just to hold you in my arms  
To try to make you laugh  
Somehow I can't put you in the past  
I'd do anything   
Just to fall asleep with you  
Will you remember me?  
'Cuz I know  
I won't forget you_

Together we broke all the rules  
Dreaming of dropping out of school  
And leave this place   
To never come back  
  
So now maybe after all these years  
If you miss me have no fear  
I'll be here  
I'll be waiting  
  
This could be the one last chance to make you understand  
And I just can't let you leave me once again  
  
I close my eyes   
And all I see is you  
I close my eyes  
I try to sleep  
I can't forget you  
Nanana Nanana   
And I'd do anything for you  
  
I'd do anything  
To fall asleep with you  
I'd do anything  
There's nothing I won't do  
I'd do anything  
To fall asleep with you  
I'd do anything  
'Cuz I know   
I won't forget you."

His eyes were on Rinoa… And only Rinoa.  Besides the fact that Seifer had joined in on the chorus he was mostly singing on his own… And he had proved his point.

The three girls only gaped at the astonishing performance of the four young gentlemen that they thought they had known.

"Are you kidding?  With me paying the drinks they'll die of intoxication!" Quistis slapped her forehead.

Selphie was teary eyed, "How am I suppose to afford their meals at an all-you-can-eat?"

Rinoa preferred not putting in her input.

***

"So?" Seifer wheezed, "Did we rule or what?"

"There's got to be a catch!  There is no way you actually sung that!" Quistis protested.

"I can't afford that many t-bones!" Selphie yelped.

"Oh just pay up front!" The four guys grinned and awaited their almighty rewards.

"First… Rinoa!" Quistis said.

"What?" She shrieked, "No… Not here."

"Where else, sweetie?" Quistis asked, trying to retain the amusement in her voice. "Besides, I wanna see this."

Rinoa shifted the weight on her right foot to her left nervously.  Then quickly she went up to Squall and kissed him quickly on the lips.  "There."

"Are you kidding me?  That sucked!" Selphie complained.

"That was really cheap!" Quistis grumbled.

"I demand a full-fledge kiss." Squall protested.

"And I'm going outside." Rinoa hissed.

"I'm going with you!" Squall followed her. "To claim my rightful prize!"

"Ok… This really sucks.  We got to see zilch!" Selphie crossed her arms in disappointment, watching the couple go.

Irvine grabbed Selphie by the waist, "Aw, leave 'em be.  Besides… I want to take a certain pretty lady dancing."  She giggled as he led her onto the dance floor.

"Wow… Ok…" Seifer concluded, "That was weird."

"I'm going to get a beer." Zell stated and moved away from Seifer and Quistis, completely forgetting that Quistis was supposed to pay for the drinks.

"Well… I think that we have semi-accomplished our mission." Quistis stated proudly.

"I think so too." Seifer grinned and then, as if a magnetized force was between them, he leaned in and kissed her.

***

"What's your problem?  We had a deal, didn't we?  Oh you're so cheap!" He struggled to keep up with her.

"Dammit, you are so stupid, Squall!" She finally stopped some meters away from the bar.

"How am I stupid?" He scowled, "I'm saying you're cheap…"

"I'm not cheap!  I gave you what you wanted."

"Right… You did." He agreed, "And I must say that was the most pathetic version of what I wanted."

Rinoa gaped, "Fuck you."

"Give me a break.  My mom used to kiss me like that after she tucked me in at night… When I was eight!"

"Well, what can I tell you?" Rinoa hissed back.

"I wanted something more along the lines of this." He pulled her to him by her waist, bent down and kissed her exactly the way he had wanted to be kissed.

Extra Disclaimer: I do not own the band Simple Plan, neither do I own the song 'I'd Do Anything'.  Long live the musical world of which I fish out my inspirations.

Sammy-Chan: Wooo, chapter 12.  I am so proud!   I decided to answer my fellow reviews this time!

**Rinoica: **Thanks for your support!  I really hope you'll continue to like my fics because you're a nice reviewer! ^.^

**fadfdf:** Thanks for the reviews  Love y'all!

**tinu-viel:** I hope you'll continue to love it! ^.^

**townberry:** You like?  Cool!  I'm glad you're saying I'm improving! ^.^

**Angelprinczess29:** A drug?  Uh-oh … ha ha … jokes, I'm glad you like it!

**Mary:** Tee hee … I did give you more 'bedroom action'.  *Cough*Pillow fight*Cough* Sorry … but I'll never go THAT far.

**The Angel of the Lion:** YEAH!  Frankly, I wouldn't do that to guys either but boy would I love to try.  We think alike, ha ha ha!

**Lunar-girl:** Thank you very much for all your support!

**Mariko:** I like that you like my writing ^.^

**Ink:** Glad you like it!

So yeah, read and review everybody!  Love you all!!


	13. Aftermath

_Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII or any of its characters; they are the rightful property of SQUARESOFT.  _

**~Chapter 13: Aftermath~**

She was so close, lying there peacefully.  He knew she wasn't asleep.  Even with her back to him she was still beautiful.  He made up his mind and inched towards her nervously and then slipped his arm around her waist.

"_SCORE!_" He thought to himself, doing a mental victory dance.  She hadn't pushed him away.

"Squall, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Her silvery voice asked in an icy tone that was so unlike her.

"_Shit!  Think fast, think fast!_" He though aimlessly, "_Don't say 'making a move on you', don't say 'making a move on you'._"

"Making a move on you." The stupidity left his lips.

He felt her elbow dig in his ribs and he groaned in pain.  "Sorry…" He muttered.

To his surprise she didn't remove his arm; nor did she order him a ten feet distance from her.  So his arm stayed positioned where it was.  "_Maybe I shouldn't push my luck…_" He thought to himself.

But then again, he was Squall Leonheart.  "So, would you _do_ anything with me?"

"Hah… No." She replied without hesitation.

"Aw… Why not?"

"Because we're encircled by people, specifically Quistis who has really sharp ears, then there's the small factor that I'm supposed to be acting mad at you, you're engaged, you might have HIV, and did I mention Quistis has sharp ears?"

"So from what I gather you're a virgin." He observed.

"Fuck off!" She hissed and jabbed her elbow, this time hitting his abdomen.  

He rolled atop of her and pinned her arms on each side of her, "Ok enough!  You've given me more bruises that anyone else on this planet and that's saying something!" He hissed at her.

"Aw, poor Squally Wally bruises like a prune." She whispered sarcastically.

He bent down and kissed her on her right cheek and then moved west.  He bent his head up to her and brushed his lips ever so softly against hers. The silky texture caused her to gasp a little. 

He opened his mouth, making the kiss more intimate. She hesitated a little at first, but reciprocated the action, her hands brushing the locks of his hair that fell on her cheeks.  So their peaceful ecstasy began.

(Sammy: I did not write the kissing scene… Why?  I can't write romance/kissing scene.  So thank you to Erica for the help, she's always been there for me.  That's why I buy her HOTDOGS! *Shoves another hotdog in Erica's face*)

***

The moon reflected on the clear lake; ripples making it seem alive.  Sounds of crickets and owls and wind were all to be heard.

The serene couple parted slightly and Seifer looped his arm around her waist, drawing her closer.

"Well this is interesting…" Admitted Quistis, blessing the darkness that hid her blushes.

"Isn't it?" Seifer hid his amusement.  Then he let out a sigh of exasperation and turned to the passive lake.

"What the matter?" Quistis inquired, "Are you… Worried about something?"

"Yeah… I'm worried about Rinoa." He explained, "I think she may be in more trouble then what she bargained for."

"What?  Why?" Quistis moved closer to Seifer impatiently, "What would happen to Rinoa?  Why are you worried about her?"

"Well… Our plan is flawed… They… It would take a miracle… It's just impossible." He fragmented his sentence, unsure of what to say.

"What are you talking about?" Quistis nearly shrieked, "We're nearly there, Rinoa's opening up more now… Squall's less of an ass!"

"Yeah… Well, Rinoa… She's no better _than_ Squall in her martial status." Seifer spat disgustedly in the lake, "She's engaged to Melvin."

Quistis' jaw dropped, "Melvin?  You mean… The monkey man?  But… But… Why didn't she tell me?" Her voice detained a tone of misery caused of her best friends lies and betrayal.

"Because she doesn't even know." Seifer said solemnly.

***

"I love you…" He whispered, intertwining her fingers with his own.

"I… Love you too." Rinoa whispered back, letting him kiss her once more.

Squall drew her nearer to him and said, "I promise… I'll tell my dad to cancel the whole Sarah thing just please… don't leave me."

"Your dad?" Rinoa asked, confusion ringing in her voice, "Why your dad?  Can't you do it on your own?"

"No, my dad set this whole thing up… I didn't even know Sarah until he introduced me to her… It's a political engagement." 

"Well why didn't you tell me sooner?" She asked angrily, to think that she had kept him at arms length because of this whole misunderstanding.

"I did… You just didn't listen." He grinned and kissed her neck, "You make a lot of funny assumptions."

"Whatever." She grimaced, "I'm going to sleep."

***

"Melvin just wants to hurt me.  He thinks I'm in love with Rinoa, so, just to piss me off, he marries her." Seifer tried explaining, "He doesn't know that Squall's in love with her."

"So, then pretend to be in love with Sarah!  Then… Melvin could go for her." Quistis was frantic for a solution.

"I'm not the main target here, Quistis!  Don't you get it?  Rinoa doesn't mean jack shit to Melvin.  She's just a bonus he's picking up along the way to his real ambition."

"What do you mean?  He's going to get something out of marrying her?"

"Not specifically him… Maybe his only goal is to hurt me but think about his father… President of Trabia."

"Yeah?  Trabia is a wasteland… The only thing they really do is research and develop weapons."

"And think about Rinoa's father now…"

"He's the General of the army…" Quistis raised her eyebrow.

"The one who buys weapons for Galbadia…" Quistis understood now, "So you mean that…"

***

"What the hell is this?" Quistis poked her plate disdainfully, "It looks horrible… And burnt."

"Yeah, well where I come from we call it pancakes, ok?" Seifer scowled at her over-criticism.  

"Aw, Irvy everything looks perfect!" Selphie clapped her hands in joy at her breakfast.  Since the girls had made breakfast the day before, they had decided it would be the gentlemen's turn today.

Selphie gleefully took of her coffee then, without warning, spat it out all over her breakfast, "What the hell did you put in here??  Dynamite?  Do you not know how to make coffee?"

Zell put on the table of fresh plate of hotdogs, "Straight from the grill." He smiled, "Dig in ladies…"

The thought of frankfurters in the wee hours of the morning gave the girls a nauseating feeling.

"No thanks Zell…" Rinoa winced and looked back to her toast… Well… What she thought was toast. "You aren't expecting me to eat this are you?" She looked up to Squall.

"Well… It's not that bad…"

"Honey…" She said in a sarcastic sweet voice, "These are so burnt that if I poked them, they'd turn to dust!"

"Yeah Squall!" Selphie assaulted him, "You put the bread in the toaster and they pop up on their own … It's like, effortless!"

"I can't believe you dared to criticize our breakfast yesterday, compared to this our food was gourmet cooking!" Quistis threw her hands up in the air.

"Never mind _our_ cooking… I'm sure a pure moron could do better then this!" Rinoa pushed her plate away, disgustedly.

"Oh, this is swerving off subject, Rinoa, but we still need to see proof that you paid Squall his reward for last night." Seifer grinned maliciously.

"I did!" Rinoa retorted, "Right Squall?"

"Ah…" Squall smirked, "I can't remember very well."

Rinoa's face fell, would he dare do this to her?  She already knew the answer.

"Right, so you'll do it again… Just for proof!" Selphie beamed in a malicious way, "And we want it to last at least 15 seconds."

"Oh give me a break!  No!" She snapped.

"Not like it's anything we haven't seen before, Rin." Irvine informed and then began laughing.

"Squall, please!" She turned to him with a puppy-dog look on her face, then remembering a 'secret code language' of their childhood that they had invented in pure fun she added, "E muja oui, ruhao." And then she grinned.

It took a minute to register and then he smiled as well.  The onlookers raised their eyebrows and Seifer finally asked, "What the hell language was that?"

Not replying to his question Squall just grinned from ear to ear and said, "Yeah, she isn't lying… She did kiss me." Then looking at Rinoa he replied a malicious tone, "Bnuja ed du sa… Mydan."

"Ha ha…" Rinoa laughed sarcastically, "Now why don't you try making toast?"

The remaining five looked on in amazement at 'the language that only they could speak'.

"E ruba oui mega du cruf ouin muja fedr ouin duhkia." He grinned as he took the toast off the table.

"Banjand!" Rinoa scowled.

Sammy-Chan: Haa haaa haa… For those who ask you we're SUPPOSED to understand what they were saying.  It's a language from FFX… Called AlBhed.  Basically you can still translate it if you're _really_ curious.  Tee hee.  By the way, I do not own FFX either, just to let you know.  Well, I hoped you like this chapter.  If you want to translate the language here's a site to simplify the task.

You'll want to copy and paste the sentences and chose the option Translate Al Bhed to English:

Love you all!

Beta's Note: My time: *Takes the hotdog out of her mouth* You know that you can choke someone to death like that. Then who'd write your mush detail for you? That was a rhetorical question… Don't answer. Besides, who would edit it? Still rhetorical. But then again, hot dogs are good… You know you're reading FF8 too much when… You begin to act like the characters. Anyways, um… yeah. HOMOPHONES BOOKS MUST BE SENT TO SAM ASAP!!!!!!! You have no idea. But, aside from any grammatical errors, it was cute… No, I'm not high on anything. Is there a law somewhere out there that says that I can't say cute? Course I can! *Storms off*


	14. Fond GoodByes

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII or any of its characters.  They are all the property of SQUARESOFT.

For the convenience of my readers I will translate the AlBhed part of the last chapter.  The language of Albhed is once again, the property of SQUARESOFT.

E muja oui, ruhao. – Rinoa says this to Squall to soften him up a bit and make him tell the truth to the others.  Meaning: I love you, honey.

Bnuja ed du sa… Mydan. – Squall says this to Rinoa after she tells him she loves him.  Meaning: Prove it to me … Later.

E ruba oui mega du cruf ouin muja fedr ouin duhkia. – Squall says this to Rinoa as he accepts to redo her pathetic breakfast. Meaning: I hope you like to show your love with your tongue.

Banjand! – Rinoa replies this to Squall after he says the sentence above.  Meaning: Pervert!

This was for your convenience and enjoyment of the story.

Chapter 14: Fond Good-Byes 

"Yeah, I'll have a T-Bone steak with those baked potatoes.  Also, a side dish of cheeseburgers, fries and a beer." Irvine completed his order and Selphie stared at him, transfixed.

"Ok, I'll have a whole BBQ chicken, a cheeseburger, those funky potatoes that have that spice on them and some lamb chops… With beer." Squall paused, "And some plain fries… With ketchup." Squall grinned.

The waiter seemed to be having trouble keeping up as he scribbled down the orders… Next came Seifer. 

"I'll have ribs, nicely soaked in BBQ sauce with those amazing baked potatoes, one boneless steak, two lamp chops and a hamburger.  And of course, a beer."

"I'll take those special hotdogs that you roast and some beer.  Then I want fries and a T-Bone steak." Zell's order was the shortest of all, "Oh and those hotdogs… Give me at least 15 of them."

The waiter then looked at Rinoa and she responded, "I'll have a cheeseburger… And a coke."

Squall stared at her and then said, "And…?"

"And that's it."

She received collective gasps from the guys and in response, rolled her eyes.  Quistis was the next to go, "A coke, fries and just a few chicken strips."

"What the Hell is wrong with you?" Seifer scowled and crossed his arms grumpily.

Selphie fidgeted uneasily, "Um… I'll have a hotdog and a coke." Then muttered underneath her breath, "I don't even know if I can afford it now."

"The orders will be ready… Soon." The waiter said weakly and stumbled away.

"You goddamn pigs!" Rinoa hissed when he was out of earshot.  

"What?  We're just ordering what we'll be eating." Zell said defensively.

"Yeah, how do we know the food won't be crappy?" Irvine threw out, "At least the quantity will make up for the quality."

"Hey, you know what restaurant has quality and quantity?" Quistis riddled, "The Exquisite Lobster."

"That's where the political New Year's Eve party is held.  Isn't it, Squall?" Seifer observed.

"Yeah… It is." He responded slowly.

Zell snorted, "No way… It's just an image they got.  I read in the newspaper that they have weird stuff going around the food trays… And that one time it rained fish guts in there."

Squall and Rinoa exchanged a look and both burst out laughing.  This ensued a few odd looks from their companions and the surrounding customers.

"What is your problem?" Quistis arched a thinly plucked eyebrow; she was oblivious to the fact that these 'incidents' were related to the hysterical couple.  

Selphie's eyes went wide, "Don't tell me that…"

"You were the ones who…" Seifer smiled faintly.

Then the rest of the table exploded into laughter, earning more stares from the nearby tables. 

***

Zell wolfed down his hotdogs like a predator would his prey.  The rest of the table was too preoccupied by watching him eat than eating their own food.

"Zell… You are so disgusting." Selphie wrinkled her nose.

"What?" He looked around, confused, "I'm hungry."

"We noticed…" Quistis gagged.

Zell wiped his mouth with a napkin and stated, "Done…"

"Good. Now we can get back to our own lunches." Seifer responded and began to devour his own meal.

Rinoa took a bite of her burger reluctantly.  Chewing, she scowled and whispered more to herself, "Ow, bit my tongue."

"Hmm, let me see." Squall grinned and bent down towards her.  She pushed him away with a glare.

"This trip was fun though…" Selphie bounced a bit on her seat, "We should do this more often!"

"Yeah… And Zell should do some more acting." Squall said sarcastically.

Zell gave him a puzzled look, "What do you mean?"

Squall put on an imitation of Zell's voice when he was acting, that day of the hike, "'Guys, look! A hot dog stand! I would very much like to go eat some hot dogs. Do go on. Do not wait up. I will catch up to you!'"

"Yeah Zell, when do you actually articulate words like that?" Rinoa countered.

"Oh… You guys knew then that…" Seifer grinned guiltily.

"Do we look stupid?" Squall asked.

"Yes." Quistis replied.

"Rhetorical question!" Squall grimaced.

"Hey, hey… You're one to speak Quistis… You were like a freaking chicken without a head in that museum.  You nearly cut my off my arm circulation!"

"Oh shut the hell up." Quistis countered and dumped her bowl of coleslaw on his head.

Selphie and Irvine gasped.  Seifer stood up calmly, the creamy salad substance dangling from each side of his head and headed towards the bathroom.  

Quistis restrained a giggle and got up slowly, "I better go help him…"

When she was out of earshot the rest of the table burst out laughing.

***

"So, you going with Squall?" Seifer asked.

Rinoa shrugged, "I guess so… Squall?"

"Yeah, your crap is already in the trunk." He responded.

"This was so fun and we have to do it again!" Selphie bounced around, forgetting for a moment that her credit card had been completely maxed out.

"Yeah, we should." Quistis agreed.

"Well, whatever." Rinoa said rolling her eyes, "I'll call you guys.  Bye."

After the group had said their good byes, they left each other promising to keep contact.  Rinoa blinked in surprise when Quistis had warned her to call her if anything happened.  What could possibly happen that was so drastic and serious?

***

"You'll call me, right?" He heaved her suitcase out of the trunk.

"Yeah." She smiled and took the bag from him.

Then he reached in the back of the trunk and brought out the teddy bear.  "Are you keeping Squall?" He asked, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.

"As a matter a fact, yes I am!" She stuck out her tongue playfully and snatched the stuffed animal from his hands.

"You spoiled brat…" He murmured in her ear and kissed it teasingly.

"Heh… I'll call you tomorrow… okay?"

"Sure…" He replied.

***

Rinoa unlocked the front door and entered quietly, unsure if her parents were currently home.  She plopped her suitcase down in the hall and flicked a few strands of loose hair out of her face.

She strolled by the living room and peeped into it.  She saw her father sitting, his legs crossed, on the couch, smoking a pipe.

"How was your trip?" He asked.

"Good." She replied.

"Good… We have things to discuss."

Sammy-Chan: Whee, there we go, 14th chapter!  Anyhow…. Yes, please read and review!  Also… I've started another fic 'Summing Up The Stars' so I'd really appreciate it if you went and told me what you thought of that one as well.  Thank you all a bunch for reviewing and I'll probably update again Wednesday… If not earlier!  So yes, thank you and review!

Beta's Note: Yay! Editing for Wednesday (That was sarcasm)! I'm joking! I'm not that mean. Anyways… I have a job for the break (As long as my brother isn't sick)!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyways… "Then eating themselves." I never knew they were cannibals… And not even that "I have bad English" excuse can save you there, buddy. Thanks for the highlight of my day. Anyways, TTYL! 


	15. Unpleasant Surprises

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, it is the rightful product of SQUARESOFT.

Chapter 15: Unpleasant Surprises 

****

****

"Um… I don't like the sound of that." Rinoa responded, her curiosity overwhelming her.  Did he know about her and Squall?  Did he see them kiss?

"It's nothing bad… Sit down." General Caraway pointed to a nearby armchair.

"Ok…" She reluctantly sat down and shifted nervously at the uncomfortable pause that followed.  What was at the back of his mind?  She could never tell and this worried her even more.

"Well, you're getting older now.  You've just turned eighteen… Which is a very respectable age for a young lady." He began.

Where was he going with this?  The question was tormenting her insides and making her feel a bit queasy.  

He continued slowly, letting down every word with intensive care, "You've grown up to be a very beautiful, intelligent woman and I'm very proud of you."

Compliments?  There had to be a catch; General Caraway didn't openly give compliments whenever he felt like it, "And there are certain duties a father must not neglect.  To make sure you're always safe and in a good home, etcetera…"

"I am in a good home…" The words left her dry mouth, "I mean… For now.  I'm still just a student…"

"Well, yes." He admitted, "However… Studies aren't everything."  
  


Studies are everything?  This was rich coming from a man who had told her, every single day of her life, that school was the most important stage of human development and that it would shape her being for the rest of her existence.  She just didn't understand his reasoning anymore.

"I have thought a lot about what would be best for you, these days.  You've been working very hard and completed your high school years and that's really all the schooling a woman needs."

"What?" She had to restrain from shouting in confusion, "Dad… Wait… What?  Dad… You've… Ok, ok, ok…" She held her head in her hands, "First of all… That's not what you've been telling me for the past fifteen years of my life and second of all… You're coming off very sexist at the moment."

"Rinoa, listen.  Your mother never needed her masters in the law to marry me and become a successful wife." He tried explaining as lightly as possible.

"So?  Point is, when someone talks to her they don't get the impression she's a total moron." She countered.  She didn't know why she was angry but maybe it was that unrelenting feeling gnawing at her insides, telling her that slowly, she was drowning in something, somewhere and no one could save her.

"And when people talk to you, they don't think you're a moron either." Caraway was losing control of the situation, "You are a very, very bright girl and even if you weren't… These days… You can fake it."

"So what are you saying?" She finally blurted out the question, taunting at her conscious mind.

"Well, I'm saying that…"

"Dad…" She interrupted, "Listen, stop beating around the bush… Please."

"Alright… I've been considering marriage plans."

It felt as if he had slit her throat.  She suddenly felt lightheaded and completely collapsed and yet still, he continued, "I thought it would be better for you.  This way, I know you'll end up with someone who won't mistreat you.  He's a respectable young man and I'm sure you'll like him a lot."

"Like him?" She asked spitefully, "Dearest Father… To get married, you need to love him… Not like."

The general rubbed his temples, "Listen, Rinoa, I think it would be best if-"

"No, it wouldn't, ok!" She was freaking out, slipping, falling, and just leaving all sources of comfort behind.  

"Rinoa, you don't even know who I speak of.  Calm down and let me tell you."

"I don't want to know!" She yelled back, "I don't care who it is!  I don't want to get married to any jerk that you suggest I marry!"

Caraway finally out down his pipe on the polished end table and got up to a standing position, "This is a very serious matter, you hear?  I can't waste time like this trying to convince you to marry.  You are to wed Melvin Tribal and that will be final. This is not the time for childish games."

"Tribal?  Melvin Tribal?" She bounded out of her seat and faced her father, "Are you crazy?  There is no way I'm ever going to even touch that guy."

"Never said you had to!" He retorted.

She was still on top of things, "Oh, no happy grand-father role for you, eh?"

Caraway cringed, "We are going to avoid that topic altogether, now won't we?" He didn't want or need a response but she gave him one anyways.

"Oh no we aren't!"  She scoffed, "Because I swear, if he even dares to touch me I'll shoot him in the ass!"

"Oh?" He replied venomously, "The touching issue didn't really seem to be present with Squall Leonheart."

She froze.  So he knew… She felt her pride, her privacy… Everything a normal human has access too, crumbling around her. 

"That's because I loved him." She nearly whispered.

It was Caraway's turn to scoff, "And he has a wife now so you best forget about him."

He strode to the door and was about to leave the room when Rinoa called after him, "You know, I don't think you'd be able to handle an arranged marriage, what makes you think I will?"

"You will have to." He replied and exited.

She felt her eyes stinging and she knew tears would soon flow. However, she clenched her jaw, left the room, grabbed her bag and ran up the stairs, locking herself in her room.

***

"Hello, sir." The receptionist batted her eyelashes and got up from her seated position to greet the commander.

"Hey." Squall replied gruffly, meanwhile thinking to himself 'Oh Hyne, what a slut.'

"How may I help you today, sir?" She got unusually close and Squall waved her off offhandedly.

"Just let me see my father." He crossed his arms.

"Anything for you, sir." She was really starting to irritate him.  The receptionist picked up the phone and spoke quickly, "Yes, Mr. President, yes… Your son is here to see you.  I'll send him in right away."

She smiled at Squall, pressed a button and the metallic doors swung open, revealing the ever-so-anxious Laguna sitting at his desk.

"Hey, hey!" Laguna bounced from his seat and went to greet his son, "How's it going?"

The glare in his offspring's eyes answered the question efficiently enough, "Um… Alright… Tea?" He offered.

"No, father, no tea." Squall responded curtly.

"Right… Um… Coffee?"

"Alright, Hyne, I don't want jack from you, ok?" Squall's irritation had reached it's limit, "I want you to call off the stupid wedding plans."

Laguna fiddled with his tie a bit and cleared his throat, "Well, I can't… I mean, over 10,000 people have… Been invited.  Press has been informed…"

"I don't give a flying fuck!" Squall raged, "This is ridiculous, at 20 years old I can't even choose my own fiancée?  What the hell do you think I am?"

"Well, see, Squall… There's more to it then an arranged marriage… See?  It's not only for you that I am doing this… But for the whole world… In a sense." He was stumbling over his words like a little nervous child would.

"Funny, I don't seem to care about the whole world, either!" He hissed, "So break this wedding off now… I'm not getting married."

Laguna sighed, "And who would you have as your fiancée, had you the choice?  Some whore that'll eat our bank account through?"

"Rinoa Heartilly, and I do have the choice!" Squall spat back.

Laguna bowed his head, "I was afraid you were going to say that."

"Well, I guess that's too bad!" Squall exclaimed viciously, "I don't know what the reason is for this bullshit marriage and I don't know why it's such a problem that I love Rinoa but really… I don't care."

"And how do you know she loves you?" Laguna asked, trying to cling to some bit of hope that their relationship was ill fated, "How do you know she actually loves her the way you do?"

"She loves me and I love her.  We both know that; see, because we have a history together… We started something that we need to finish and to do that we can't spend a future apart."

Laguna was silent for a moment and then he looked up to his son, eyes full of sorrow and asked, "Did… She tell you she was engaged to Melvin Tribal?"

Sammy-Chan: Hello everybody!  Well, here's the 15th chapter.  I hope it wasn't too boring because… Well… It kind of sucks if it's boring.  Well, I'm not trying to stall the motion of this fic; I'm just trying to give you the best-detailed information that's going on… And that's really hard (I really screwed up 'Those Who Prevail' in that sense).  Well, anyways… Please review; I'd be very honored if you did!  Also, check out my new fic, 'Summing Up The Stars'… please review that one too ^.^, so yup… Have a nice day everyone!


	16. Holding On To Nothing

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII or any of its characters.  They all belong to SQUARESOFT.

Chapter 16: Holding Onto Nothing 

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"What?  What do you mean… engaged to Tribal?" Squall's mouth went dry and dozens of questions began flooding in his head.  Had she betrayed him?  Didn't she say she loved him?  Was it… a lie?  

Lies…

He was familiar with the term.  He had lied to many women for many different reasons however this was different.  The only woman he had feelings for, the only one he cared and loved for… Had deceived him.

His breathing became shallow and quick.  His cool blue eyes met his father's and he asked once more, "What the hell do you mean?"

"I thought she had told you." Laguna's chest panged with guilt.  No, he didn't think Rinoa would have told him… She didn't know herself.  But he had to find a way to keep the act going… To keep his son from finding out the truth.

"No… She didn't.  This has got to be a joke." Squall's voice wavered but still remained strong.

"I'm sorry, son." He meant every word of it.

Squall avoided his gaze, "No, you're shitting me.  This isn't happening." Then he turned around and ran out of his father's office, slamming the double, oak doors behind him.

***

Tears ran freely from her eyes, dripping off her chin.  Her hair partially covered her face; her eyes were downcast.  In a fury, she clenched her fists and sobbed quietly.

Mixed feelings of anger and void coursed through her veins.  Engaged?  To Melvin Tribal?  The one whom she partially hated for bringing down one of her friends, the one whom she was afraid of… Engaged to him?

She thought for a moment, her life as Tribal's wife.  He would no doubt be egoistical and vain.  Perceive her as a trophy.  She wondered what it would be like… Sleeping in the same bed as him … then she shut her eyes tightly, not really wanting to know.

Then she thought of Squall.  Compared to the infamous monkey-man, Squall was picture perfect.  His physique, his personality… His kisses… Everything was faultless.  Her thoughts wandered further… And she could have him if only…

If only things were to go her way for once, only for once.  If only this once, things were to go her way… Things would go her way for the rest of her life… Just being with him.  Waking up to his face, spending weekends with him… Being with him without feeling guilt, reproach or anything else.  If only…

Now, without him, she was holding onto nothing…

Her shaking fingers fumbled for the receiver of the phone.  She picked it up and heard the odd droning sound at the other end.  With her free hand she dialed in seven numbers and waited for Quistis to answer.

"Hello?" It was more of a question than a greeting.

She breathed slowly and responded, "Quistis?"

"Rin?" The voice jerked slightly, "You sound like shit!  Are you ok?"

It was funny to know that no matter how hard she tried, she could get nothing past her friends.  They always unmasked her… No matter the situation, no matter her acting skills. 

"No… I'm not ok." Denying her angst was futile now, "I need to talk to you… please?  I can't do it over the phone."

"Ok, ok… I'll be there in like… Twenty minutes!" The rushed sentence ended abruptly with the slight click of the ending connection.

Quistis ran about her apartment aimlessly trying to gather her things.  She wasn't so anxious to know why Rinoa wasn't ok… She already knew why.  She was more anxious to get to Rinoa's before her friend did something stupid… like jump out the window for example.  Finding her last item, she rushed out the door, barely remembering to lock it.

***

"What?" Zell's voice could be mistaken for a girly shriek as he jumped out of his chair, glaring at the news Seifer had just told him.

"You heard me!" Seifer scowled in annoyance- repeating it just made it seem worse- "Rinoa is engaged to Melvin."

Irvine's jaw hung loosely as he staggered between the factual and fictional worlds; Zell repeated his question, "What?  How… What?" 

Seifer grimaced, "This was all for nothing."

"This can't be happening people!" Zell snapped and pounded his fists on the desk, "I didn't buy 15 snakes for empty results!"

"Guess you did, man." Irvine shrugged, "I mean, guys, it's hopeless.  They were star-crossed before we even tried."

"Never say that!" Zell cried out, "I can't believe you guys are just… Giving up!  You know, it's all nice for you guys.  Seifer you haven't had a steady relationship since… EVER!  And no one's keeping you from Selphie, Irvine!" 

Their responses were their disheartened expressions so Zell went on, "You don't know how they feel… Guys, they love each other!  They… They…" Zell gave out a frustrated growl and ran out of the room angrily.

As fast as his martial-arts-trained legs could sustain, he ran out of Galbadia garden and to the Academy Train Station that led to Deling.

***

"I'm getting married to Melvin Tribal." Rinoa whispered softly, still under the preliminary shock.

Quistis whimpered slightly, "I know… I'm sorry I didn't tell you… But I knew."

Rinoa's head jerked up, "You knew?  Quistis…" More tears glazed her eyes and coursed down her reddened cheeks.

Quistis blinked and surprisingly, water that welled up in her eyes flowed down too, "I'm so sorry, Rinoa.  I thought that… Maybe if you didn't know, it wasn't true.  I really tried to come up with solutions… I'm so sorry." She broke out into a downright wail.

"It's fine." Rinoa said quietly, "It doesn't matter anymore… Does it?"

"Yes, it does!" Quistis blurted out, "You're going to marry a homo erectus!  You're suppose to marry Squall and have beautiful, beautiful children… not 'Planet Of The Apes' look-alikes!"

Rinoa realized Quistis was having one of her 'delirious moments' so she let her friend continue, "Sure, Squall may be a little stupid but they might inherit your way of thinking so then everything'll be alright; but not if you marry an ape!" 

Realizing the pickle she was in, Rinoa started crying even more uncontrollably then before.  Quistis took out her cell phone, still bawling like there was no tomorrow and speed-dialed Selphie's phone.

"Hey, Selph?  Lost complete control of situation… Come to Rinoa's please." Was all she blubbered into the receiver and cut the connection.

***

Zell kicked a soft drink can in the empty park of Deling.  He was doing something he hadn't done in a while.  Seriously think about something… Serious.  Snorting his disgust at the newly analyzed situation, he kicked the can so hard he heard the ping noise as it came into contact with something.

"Excuse me!" A male voice called out with revulsion 

He lifted his head and was about to apologized but then stopped when he realized who it was… Melvin Tribal.

"Hey go back to your snow cones and penguin park, Tribal!" Zell sniggered, blessing his aim with his right foot.

Melvin looked very displeased; to say the least, "Mind your own, filthy business, Dincht.  A measly little SeeD doesn't deserve one eighth of my respect."

"Hey uh… Melvin." Zell drawled, ignoring the previous comment, "Heard you're engaged to Rinoa."

"Hmph… That's correct." Melvin admitted, "Now let's all come clean and say that she's the best you can get."

"I wouldn't know, I haven't fucked her… You should ask Squall though, bet you he knows." Zell smirked.

Melvin's face fell and he snapped back, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing." Zell covered up cleverly, "So, tell me.  Why you getting married to her?"

"Well, my father's plans actually." Melvin confessed, "Said it would give him better ties with General Caraway."

"Well yeah… I mean, Trabia's main economical source would be weapon selling… And Galbadia is the best weapon buying country." Zell acknowledged, fairly surprised at Melvin's openness.

"Yes, exactly." Melvin agreed, "Frankly, I'm doing this to piss Seifer off and I'm picking up a pretty hot girl at the same time."

"Right… So Rinoa's a bonus?" Zell asked, trying to retain his anger.  He had to keep cool until he got some more information out of Melvin.  But… Having one of his best friends spoken about like she was just some whore was very provoking.

"Well, yes really.  My father's after a bigger fish." Melvin gave off a short laugh, "He thinks he can easily get control of Galbadia this way.  Can't blame the fellow, he's a natural genius."

"Right, that is a great plan.  Get the General by the balls through his daughter and then gain control of the whole Galbadian army.  Pretty good." Zell's jaw clenched.  

"Correct. You know, you aren't as dumb as your friends." Melvin grinned.

Zell shrugged and the lying began, "Been trying to ditch them for years." Then he asked curiously, "Why do you hate Seifer anyways?"

"Because he's a sonofabitch… And worst is, he doesn't know who that bitch is!" Melvin laughed at his own clever joke and Zell was forced to join in, "Well anyways, I not only hate Seifer, but I hate Squall too!"

"So like I said… Why?" Zell demanded.

Melvin hissed, "They made a complete fool out of me at a competition … six years ago.  I'd rather stray from the subject."

"Gee, love to stay and talk but I really got to run." Zell faked and ran off in the opposite direction… He needed to get to a payphone… Sometime around NOW.

Sammy-Chan: Chapter 16!  Well, hope you liked it!  Now, please review and tell me what you think… I like reviews… Reviews are good... *grins in an insane kind of way* Anyhow… I have services to offer.  If ANYONE would like to know when this fic is updated (through e-mail) PLEASE say so through your reviews… I'll gladly do so.  Next point: please read and review my new fic (Summing Up The Stars).  That will be all for now… *smiles again* so now… Onto my beta reader's note… And don't forget to review!!

Beta's Note: I was going for dramatics at the beginning. Floating's too calm; try flooding.

Melvin is a 'him'… Unless he got an 'operation' that no one knew about… Ewwww!!!! And did I mention that dramatics are a good thing in a like-wise situation? Ah, screw dramatics… I'd be in hysterics.  I mean…. EWWWWWW! I can't say what I mean! Melvin started off as a truck driver and now he's… Can't say it. Anyways, welcome to tomorrow! TTYL, BBYE!


	17. Giving Up Forever

_Disclaimer: If I'd own any Final Fantasy VIII characters I'd be rich.  In other words: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII._

Chapter 17: Giving Up Forever 

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"Are you sure you're ok?" Quistis asked for the fifth time.

Rinoa rolled her eyes, slightly red from crying, "Yeah, I'm fine, really.  You guys should go now.  I don't really want my dad freaking out."

"Why would he freak out?" Selphie asked; she had shed a few tears as well.

"He's my dad, Selphie.  He got me engaged to a monkey. Doesn't that say it all?" Rinoa smiled weakly. Maybe reminding herself of Melvin wasn't such a great idea.

"Alright, well.  If there's anything, you call us.  Like… Anything at all.  If you can't find missing socks, if you've lost your dog, if-"

Rinoa hugged Quistis and said, "Quistis, just go.  I'll be fine."

Selphie took her turn giving Rinoa a quick hug and both girls slipped out of Rinoa's bedroom window, being careful not slip and die.  Rinoa took a deep breath and let it out calmly.  What to do now?  Was there anything she really could do to save herself from this situation?

She glanced at the mirror, making sure that her appearance wasn't that of a beat up dog and decided to go downstairs.

She stepped into the kitchen and recognized her mother at the counter, her back turned to her.  "So he told you?"

"Yeah…" Rinoa replied casually, "Mom, why didn't you try to convince him against it?"

Her mother gave off a short laugh, "Don't you think I tried?  Your father's head is like a rock.  I'm sorry, Rin."

Rinoa went over to her mother and sighed, "It's fine… I guess." Meanwhile her head was screaming, 'Fine?  Fine!  You think its fine!  You've just ruined your whole life!'

At this moment, Caraway slipped into the room and said calmly and soothingly, "Rinoa, Melvin is in Deling… He will be over for a short visit."

"Oh sure… I would love to see him." Rinoa spat out sarcastically at her father and stormed out of the room before the General could put one word forth.

***

Squall sat impatiently on the train heading from Galbadia Garden to Deling city.  He was nervous and uncomfortable.  Mixed feelings of betrayal and solitude stirred in his insides.  He couldn't really trust his father's words, could he?  He decided he would get a more honest response from Rinoa.  Why would she lie to him?

The train continued on its tracks towards the never sleeping city of Deling.  

***

"I'm pleased to know you've accepted my proposal." Melvin grinned in all his monkey-like glory.  Rinoa stifled a whimper.

She was alone in her bedroom with Melvin and she was quite afraid that the turnout wasn't going to be so good, "I never really accepted.  My father did."

"I'm sure you are just as pleased." His smile just couldn't be wiped off his face.

"Don't flatter yourself." Rinoa hissed at him.  Already she couldn't stand him and it had only been five minutes or so.  She couldn't possibly imagine him as her husband.

Melvin's grin faded slightly, "Stop being so cold." It wasn't a suggestion, nor was it sweet teasing: it was an order.

He advanced towards her and she shivered when he pressed her against the wall and pinned her arms behind her back.  A rush of panic bolted through her body.  He pressed his lips against hers and forced his tongue into her mouth.

She didn't return the kiss.  Instead she brought down her incisors firmly onto his tongue and bottom lip.  She felt the metallic-tasting blood flow into her mouth and thankfully he retreated at once.

"You stupid bitch!  The hell was that for?" Melvin wiped his bleeding lip.

"Don't ever… Do that to me again." Rinoa's shaking voice warned and she to wiped her mouth, disgusted at the very thought of him touching her.

"Oh trust me… There'll be loads more of that." He spat at her.

But before he had time to approach her something collided with the back of his head and he was knocked to his knees.  Rinoa watched in disbelief and surprise.  Then she saw Squall in the back of him, his black jean jacket sleeves were pulled up his elbows.

"What the fuck did you think you were doing?" His voice filled with venom as he watched the straggling Melvin. "Don't you ever touch her again, you sonofabitch!"

He delivered a swift kick into Melvin's abdomen; Melvin winced and clutched it in pain. "Squall, no, stop!" Rinoa grabbed Squall's arm in a pleading gesture.

Squall calmed down at the sound of her voice but his blood was still bubbling with rage.  Rinoa didn't let go of his arm as Melvin slowly rose to his feet, still feeling the pain biting at his abdomen and skull.

"Get the hell out of here!" Squall hissed at him, his fists clenched, arm muscles contracted.

"Who the hell do you think you are?"  Melvin scowled at him.

"You aren't in a very good position to ask me that, shithead!" Squall glared at him, "Now get the fuck out!"

"Please, just get out." Rinoa asked in a nicer tone than Squall had.

Melvin glowered and left the room as quietly as possible.  Squall was reassured that Melvin wouldn't go and complain to Caraway.  Melvin could be a real jerk-ass but he had a certain amount of pride and running to Caraway with tears in his eyes and saying 'Squall beat me up, sir!' would contradict that theory.

Rinoa exhaled a retained breath and gasped at Squall, "What are you doing here?"

"So you are engaged to him?" Squall refused to look her in the eye.

Rinoa put her hand on his face and turned his head so she could- with all the honesty in her heart- look at him in the eyes and say, "I only found out today."

He believed her.  He scowled slightly and said, "So what do we do?"

She remained silent for some few seconds then said, "I want you to… Take me out one last time."

He didn't respond so she just kept talking, "Just please…"

"So you're giving up?  One _last_ time." He asked and she kept her eyes downcast. "Let's go then… _One last time_."

***

The fast food restaurant was filled with dozens of children.  They were sitting in a booth at the back of the room, sharing a hamburger.  Trying not to remember that this was to be their last date together… Ever.

"You know, I heard they make these out of rabid cows." Squall grinned over half of his burger, "Then they freeze it over and inject dozens of chemicals to enhance the flavor."

"Squall, I'm eating." She reminded him.

He continued, smiling at the disgusted expression on her face, "Sometimes they have replacement meats… Mainly dead rats from the factory."

Rinoa began to chew more slowly and her facial expression darkened as she glared at Squall.

He smiled gloatingly and took a bite out of his half, "Mmm… Tasty."

She rolled her eyes at his immaturity and continued eating.

***

"Bet you anything it's going to rain soon." Squall predicted as they strolled through the park.  Rinoa slipped her hand in his and walked along side of him.

As if almost on cue, trickles of rain fell from the sky and it soon became a full shower.  The couple just stood there, getting drenched.

"We should go…" Squall urged forward, "Standing here like dumbasses isn't a good idea." 

"Are you kidding me?" Rinoa grinned maliciously and she jumped onto a bench.

Squall grinned and repeated, "Come on, you'll probably come catch pneumonia."

Rinoa ignored him and acted out the skating park, "Will you catch me if I fall?" She tilted suggestively on the edge of the bench.

He looked up at her, smiled and replied, "I'll always catch you if you fall."

"Prove it." She smiled and tilted more towards the edge.  

"Ever thought of what would happen if you slipped and cracked your ass?" Squall asked.

Rinoa jumped off the bench and walked up to Squall, "Then again, I wouldn't crack my ass if you'd catch me, hmm?"

Squall looped his arms around her waist and stated, "Yeah, you're right."  Their faces were only inches away.

"Kiss me…" She whispered.

For some reason, he couldn't, "Seriously, Melvin's spies might be out here… And… they might kill me or something." He joked.

"Seriously." She said, "I am serious." And pulled him down by his jacket, kissing him softly.  The rain unrelenting- like their kiss- continued to soak them.

***

They both entered through the window, still doused with the downpour.  

"Squall… Let's… Give up forever." Rinoa said, "Forever is impossible… So is our relationship… We can't do this."

He closed his eyes, he had been dreading this moment and yet he still agreed with her, "Yeah, I guess it is."

As he bent down to give her one last kiss a call came from downstairs interrupting him, "Rinoa!  Come here!"

"Oh crap." She murmured.

"Right…" He said, ending a slight moment of awkwardness, "I better go."

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and exited through the window.

Sammy-Chan: Hello, well, I hope you liked this chapter and NO it is not the end!  So, I hope you liked it and please review!!!

Beta's Note: I hope you're happy. It's 10:39 and I'm tired and full and… Right. I need a life. Anyways, Dashes are your friend. They're like parentheses. Well, yeah. That's all I have to say. TTYL, LYLAS, BBYE!


	18. Reality Unbound

_Disclaimer: I own NOTHING … except for Melvin and Sarah (Whom I keep locked up in a cage)._

**~Chapter 18: Reality Unbound~ **

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"Hey, listen, the payphones aren't working. Can I please use your phone?" Zell begged the receptionist at the Deling city hotel.

She shook her head in denial, "Sorry sir. Unless you are a client of this hotel, I can not allow you to make calls on this phone."

Zell let out a cry of frustration, "This is very important!  Because of the storm outside, the payphones aren't working… And really, this is important!"

The receptionist gave him the same response, "I'm really sorry, sir."

The blonde martial-artist darted out of the hotel and into the wet streets.  He pushed past people, not really knowing where to go.  Then he saw an old woman, under an umbrella, hunched over a tiny apparatus… a cellular phone.

He ran towards her and said, "Hello, sorry, ma'am."

"What?" The old lady snapped at him, "I'm speaking to someone right now."

"Please, lady, I need to use that phone: it's really important."

"Well, it sucks to be you, young lad." The old lady snapped back at him and continued speaking into the cell phone.

Zell groaned in aggravation and tried again, "Ma'am, I really need that phone.  It's very important and it'll only take a minute."

"Yeah, hold on a minute. There's this little whiny ass that won't leave me alone, hold on, Marge.  I'll call you back." The lady spoke to the person on the other line, "Now what the hell do you want, stupid?"

"I just need to make one call… Just one." Zell pleaded, "It'll take… A minute."

The woman looked at him suspiciously then finally caved.  She handed over the tiny communicating device to him and repeated, "Only one call, for a minute only."

Zell thanked the old woman and began dialing Seifer's cell number.  It rang once, twice, three times… Zell prayed to Hyne he would answer.  Finally the voice mail clicked on and Zell didn't bother to listen.  He shut off the communication and began to dial another number when the old lady whacked him with her purse, "What do you think you're doing, you hooligan?" She screeched.

"It didn't pick up!" Zell said defensively, shielding her onslaught with his arm, "Please, one more call!"

The old lady stopped and snapped back, "It better be quick or I'll-"

"It will be!" Zell assured, he quickly dialed Seifer's office number.

His prayers were answered, a rough voice answered, "Seifer speaking."

"Yeah, I got bad news." Zell announced.

***

Seifer and Irvine were in Seifer's office, having a beer.  Pondering about Zell's sudden call.  He didn't have time to speak for long but when Seifer reassured him that he was in Galbadia Garden, Zell said he would be on his way.

"He never told you what the bad news was?" Irvine asked again.

Seifer shook his head and then responded with a verbal answer, "No."

After a few moments of thoughtful silence, Seifer's office door creaked open and Squall Leonheart came in. His hair was messy and wet and his eyes downcast.  Seifer sighed knowingly. For the past months, every time Leonheart walked into his office, he was in this state.

"You looked like you just stepped on a land mine." Irvine remarked.

Seifer shrugged and informed Irvine, "You get used to it."

Squall stumbled a little and plopped down in a guest chair and sighed in his turn.  He spoke no words for his companions could already make a pretty accurate guess.

"So, what's up?" Seifer asked and somehow, deep down he had a prophecy of the answer.

"Well we… Broke up.  You know, we're sort of… Not seeing each other, ever again."

"What now?" Seifer's voice was unusually high pitched, "So you're letting her marry Monkey Boy?"

"Yeah, I guess I am." Squall said quietly.

"So you don't care if he gives her a few cracks on the head or beats her?  You don't care if she gets raped or hurt?  Do you even care if she's happy!?" Seifer screamed at his best friend.

"I do care!" Squall screamed back furiously, "Melvin won't hurt her!  She'll be fine…"

Seifer scowled, "Oh so you're one of those guys who believe that saying something will make it happen?  Reality check for Mr. Leonheart… Melvin will hurt whomever he likes."

Squall shook from anger; whom the anger was directed to no one really knew.  He cursed loudly at Seifer and then sat back down on his chair, muttering, "I'll kill the asshole if he does anything to her… I'll break his goddamn neck…"

Zell ran into the room at Mach 3 and tripped on Seifer's rug in the process, falling flat on his face.  The two other men (Squall was too busy cursing) looked at their friend in disbelief.

Zell got up as if nothing ever happened and announced, "Melvin's only getting married to Rinoa because this way they'll have more control on the General's decisions!"

Irvine stared and asked, "What now?"

"Melvin told me everything… He was bragging about it!  His father wants to gain control of the Galbadian army.  See look, if he's got Rinoa then he's got Caraway and if he's got Caraway… Then he's got an army!"

"Zell, if anything bad happens to Rinoa, General Caraway'll send in some troops and that's it." Seifer shrugged, "I think you've just been watching too many movies about world domination."

"No!  I swear it!  Think for a minute … they'll kill Rinoa before the troops get to her." Zell said impatiently, "Melvin even told me so!"

"He himself told you so?" Seifer repeated.

"Yeah, he was in Deling City… I saw him there today!"

"Today?" Squall's head snapped up from his cursing and threats to the invisible Melvin, "Seifer, that makes sense… I saw Melvin at Rinoa's house… Today."

"Aw fuck… You're kidding me right?  I just thought that Melvin Tribal's father was trying to get Caraway to buy more shit with the ties he'd have with his daughter." Irvine scowled, "But now we're talking about freaking world domination?"

"No, just a manipulative puppeteer…" Zell informed, "He just wants the protection he needs… I mean, with Galbadia's army in his control, he'll be the universal seller of weapons and he'll have the protection Trabia needs."

"Oh shit… Rinoa!" Squall yelled out and bolted to the door but Seifer caught him by the collar.

"Don't do shit on impulse!  First off, I find it kind of suspicious that just a couple of years after your father plans you a marriage, Caraway decides to marry off his only daughter, to which I might add, is doing excellent in her studies.  Didn't he always say he wanted her to be an independent woman?" 

"So what?" Squall released himself from Seifer's grip, "She's not a toy, ok?  I'm going to get her!"

"Wait!  There's something really suspicious going on here!" Seifer yelled, "Just sit your ass down… We've got stuff to figure out."

***

Seifer waited outside the Caraway mansion.  Finally, Rinoa walked out and shut the door behind her.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"We got shit to figure out.  Get in the car." He pointed to his vehicle, "Come on… It's really important."

Rinoa's eyebrow shot up in a questioning expression but agreed to it anyways.  Seifer began to drive out of Deling city.

"So where are we going?" Rinoa asked uncertainly, she didn't know why she put so much trust in her friends like that.  Had Seifer or any other of her comrades told her to jump off a bridge, she probably would have done so.

"To Sarah's private apartment."

"Come again?  Sorry, I could have sworn I heard you say we were going to visit Sarah."

"We are… Well, _you_ are." Seifer informed, "Wipe that stupid look off your face… You're going to see her."

"No way!  That girl would pay someone to shoot me!" Rinoa exclaimed.

"I'll be in the car." Seifer reminded her, "Don't worry about it.  I just want you to ask her a couple of questions.  Like, if she was given a choice to deny or accept Squall, if her father proposed to Laguna or if Laguna proposed the idea to her?  You got it?  If she's ever met the Tribal family, that's an important one.  Ok?"

"Ok, fine.  But why ask her and why do I have to do it?" Rinoa frowned.

"Because she thinks your weak.  She'd be scared of Quistis and she'd doubt Selphie's trust." Seifer explained, "She thinks you're scared of her.  If you show up and ready to question her, it'll throw her off guard.  Just please do it." Seifer explained.

In twenty minutes time they had arrived in Dollet.  Seifer stopped in what looked like a wealthy neighborhood in front of a large apartment building.  He looked at her.

"Just scream if she attacks you." He reassured her.

Rinoa rolled her eyes, "Right, sure… Her apartment number please?"

"She's on the tenth floor, apartment number 9.  Take the elevator, when you get to floor number ten you turn right and look for number 9."

"Ok…" Rinoa got out of the car.

***

She nervously rang the doorbell, unsure of everything surrounding her.  How would Sarah greet her?  She just hoped it wouldn't be a slap in the face.  The blond opened the door and gave Rinoa a disgusted look.

"What do _you_ want?" She asked.

Rinoa tried to put on an apologetic face, "Can I come in, please?"

A smirk spread across Sarah's face, "Oh sure…" She opened the door wide and Rinoa stepped into the apartment.

Why the smirk?  Rinoa soon found out… In the apartment were three of Sarah's closest friends.  Beautiful, now she was about sure she wasn't going to be coming out of this building alive.

"Uh… hi." Rinoa said blankly, "Well, anyways, Sarah, we have to talk."

"Sure… I'm listening." Rinoa wished she could just wipe that evil smile off her pretty face.

"Ok, you prefer to do this in public?  Well that's fine… So were you given the choice to accept your marriage to Squall or did you absolutely have to marry him?"

"Well, he proposed didn't he?  So she had the choice to turn him down." One of her fiends piped up.

Rinoa was getting confused but she decided to stick to the version she'd heard from Squall, at least… For the time being, "Right, well was it your _father _who proposed your engagement to Squall or was it Squall's father?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Another of her friends asked.  Rinoa bit the inside of her mouth to keep control.  Couldn't they just butt out?

"Well, I don't know what you heard from Sarah here… But Squall never proposed to her.  This was an arranged marriage." Rinoa was hoping she wasn't going to hit a wall with this because she didn't even know what was true anymore.  She looked to Sarah and her expression said it all… She was right.  

Sarah's friend's faces fell slightly.  The got up from the couch, grabbed their purses and jackets and began to walk out the front door.  "Sister, you need to get your facts straight… Your head as well …"

Rinoa triumphed.  'She thinks your weak… Throw her off guard.' Was what Seifer had told her… And now was that opportunity. "Oops, did I just make you lose your title of 'Woman Who Won Balamb Commander's Heart'?  Oh… Sorry, girlfriend.  Funny how some people can make a reputation on what comes out of their mouth."

"What the hell do you want?" Sarah screeched, "Squall is still mine and he always will be!"

"Ok, ok… Calm down.  I just want to ask you a couple of questions." Rinoa said, still smiling… She had control, "So, did you have a choice to deny Squall's answer."

"No." She answered, "And if I did, why would I?"

"Yeah that's true…" Rinoa smirked, "He's very good looking… Not to mention a great kisser.  Hey, has he done that tongue thing with you yet?"  Bluffing was her friend in this battle.

"The what?" Sarah's vocal chords would have snapped if she had dared to go an octave higher.

"Well, guess not.  Anyways, so did your father propose it to Laguna or did Laguna propose it to your father?" Rinoa asked casually.

"My father proposed it to Laguna, ok?" Sarah hissed, "Anything else?"

"One last thing, do you know the Tribal family?"

"Of course.  My father works as president in Mr. Tribal's weapon industry."

"You mean… You're from Trabia?" Rinoa asked.

"Yes, is that a problem?" Sarah asked, not as if she really cared of Rinoa's opinion, "Why are you asking me all these questions?  It's really none of your business."

"Oh you poor, poor, ignorant bitch." Rinoa held a tone of mock pity in her voice, "Well, I have to go.  Bye."  Rinoa left the building as she could.

***

"Seifer, what is going on?" Rinoa asked as soon as she got back into the car, "I've got all the info you wanted.  Just tell me why this was so important."

So Seifer explained everything there was to explain.  About Melvin, about his father… About their suspicions and his determination about what exactly was going on.

Rinoa was mesmerized, "Well how did they know Squall was in love with me?"  Then suddenly it struck her… She already knew.  At the New Year's party when she was fifteen.  

"I was wondering if you could answer me that, Rinoa?" Seifer looked at her and realized she understood everything now.  He started up his truck and began to drive her back home.

"If we can just prove to your father that this is all just a set-up… Then everything'll be fine."

"Seifer… What made Laguna accept the offer from Sarah's father?" Rinoa asked.

Seifer paused before answering, "The threat on his son's life…"

Sammy-Chan: Oh lord … I was planning this to be a 20-chapter fic but here I am SQUEEZING the storyline in.  Ha ha…it'll still be 20 chapters don't worry.  Anyways, please review and I sincerely hoped you like this boring chapter.  Sorry, not much Squinoa but there will be in the next chapter and A LOT in the 20th… At least that's what I was hoping.  So please review!  Thanks!

Beta's Note: Oh the irony of it all. The song on the radio while I write this thing… Adonis- Take It Off. Now, will everyone agree with me that Squall is a brown-haired Adonis? I like this chapter… Everything makes more sense. *starts to sing the song 'I Can See Clearly Now' by Johnny Nash* BBYE! 


	19. Confrontations

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII in any way shape or form for it is the rightful property of SQUARESOFT.  

Chapter 19: Confrontations 

Seifer burst into his office, waking the sleeping Zell on the carpeted floor.  Squall was sitting in the Commander's chair, his feet were propped up on the desk but when he saw Rinoa enter with Seifer, he bounced out of the chair.

Selphie and Quistis had joined the party to make it seven.  "Rinoa, you're alive!"

"Thanks Quistis. It shows you aren't the one who just walked in an apartment with Sarah and three of her friends." Rinoa hissed at her, giving her a death glare.

"You want us to give you a medal?" Irvine joked; Selphie was sitting on his lap.

"Shut it, Irvine." She replied, Seifer silenced the banter and cleared his throat.

"Alright, now… So we've collected this info that I have pieced together…" Seifer announced, "Trabia was and still is doing very well economic wise.  Both Galbadia and Esthar buy weapons of mass destruction so clients aren't in the lacking department. There was a small flaw in that assurance when Rinoa and Squall kissed right in front of their freaking eyes without knowing…" Seifer looked at Rinoa and Squall accusingly, "You stupid morons."

Rinoa looked down at the floor and pondered helplessly on how she couldn't have noticed.  She knew that Mr. Tribal and Mr. Conrad hadn't been showered with the fish guts because the last time she saw them that nigh… Their suits were perfectly clean.  

Squall felt some embarrassment showing in his cheeks and Quistis made an 'ooh'ing noise that was quickly silenced by another of Rinoa's death glares.

"Anyways, if Rinoa and Squall were to marry there would be a peaceful union between these opposing countries.  I mean… a daughter of a respectable General and the son of the President himself.  Never had a political marriage been made between these rivals and Rinoa being the only daughter and Squall being the only son… The parents would have accepted." Seifer informed, "With that… Trabia's business goes into the negative number.  So they needed to keep the two apart.  Laguna was 'proposed' a deal.  Squall would marry Sarah or Squall would die"

Seifer paused then went on, "So after Squall was stupid enough to let this by, three years later Caraway accepts to marry his daughter?  Not very plausible is it… But think.  Squall's made a reputation of being reckless and wild… Not the obeying type.  So Trabia needed assurance… That's where Melvin steps in… Rinoa's like a sheep, she'll follow what her father says because she's powerless."

"Um, excuse me!" Rinoa snapped, "You didn't have to say it like that."

"I meant… Politically powerless…" Seifer chuckled nervously, "So now we need to know why Caraway married off Rinoa.  And… That's self-explanatory… By being threatened by Trabia with the same weapons he had ordered to be made."

"So where exactly do we come in?" Quistis scowled, "What the hell can we do?"

Seifer grinned, "Rinoa, Squall… Right now I need your acting talents."

***

"For the eighteenth time, I am not doing this!" Rinoa cried out, "I can't… Don't you get it… Not in front of my father!"

"Rinoa, it'll only be once… You might feel like a cheap whore now but you'll have something to tell your children later." Seifer tried to ease her about their current situation.  Squall said nothing… He wasn't sure if he would live through tonight after what Seifer had suggested.

"You said it yourself, Rinoa.  I'm a shitty actor, so let's see if you can do better." Zell grinned and Rinoa shot him a look of disgust.

"I can't… I won't do this!" Rinoa protested once more, "It's a stupid idea, not to mention my father would kill me!"

"So say it's a joke after!" Irvine exclaimed, "Tell him it was just to get a confession out of Tribal!"

"Oh, right…" Rinoa said sarcastically, "That'll work…"

"Would you rather marry Melvin?" Selphie snapped, irritated at her friend's constant refusal of the 'plan'.  At this comment, Quistis gave Rinoa a taunting glare.

"Ok… Fine… But if that tape recorder screws up, you're going to die Zell."

***

Tribal and Caraway sat leisurely in the study, puffing on exquisite Winhill cigars.  The finest tobacco went into these and these powerful men had the means to acquire them.  The un-smoking Melvin just sat there, watching his father.  

Rinoa entered calmly in the room, "Sorry to interrupt but we've things to discuss, father." She applied her 'rich-girl' accent thickly as she proposed a conference.

"Surely you wouldn't mind your soon-to-be father-in-law and fiancée to be present while discussing such matters, would you darling?" Mr. Tribal refused to let the girl speak alone with her father… At this point, it would be too risky.

"Not at all." Rinoa smiled her sweetest smile, "And it is about this marriage business that I wish to speak about." 

Caraway's expression changed from discomfort to nervousness and then to fear.  "Ahem… Go on my dear…" He shot nervous glances to the two men beside him.

"I really can't be wed to Melvin." Rinoa announced, "Because I'm married to someone else."  Her words were traced by a certain elegance in her voice.  Her declaration was so calm, so neutral… The lie couldn't be perceived.

"What?" Caraway breathed, "This is a joke, right?"

"Father, I'm really in love with him.  I'm sure… You wouldn't want to get in the way of true love?" She panicked a bit; thinking the coat of exaggeration was being applied too thickly.

"With who?" Tribal's question reflected his anxiety… If it was whom he feared then… A complete loss of control would be ensued.

"Well, it is Squall Leonheart." At this moment Squall entered the room and grinned, looping his arms around Rinoa waist.

"I'm sure, the Tribal family wouldn't be insulted or hurt, honey, after all… They are a very respected bunch." Squall tried not to sound as constipated as Zell had.

As the final blow, Squall kissed her, not overdoing but still making it apparent that tongue was present.  Caraway didn't know whether to be pleased or terribly angered at Squall and his daughter.

Tribal, however, blew his stack, "Dearly sorry, but Leonheart's honeymoon'll be in hell!" He got up from his chair and held out an outstretched arm, revolver in hand.

"Unity between Galbadia and Esthar?  Never… Without the war between them, Trabia'll be nothing… No economical feedback.  We have no other options!" He spat out in anger and Caraway sat there, shaking in his chair, oblivious of what to do.  

Melvin spoke nothing in his chair, just watched back peacefully as his father's speech went on, "I've tried to keep you two away from each other for three years.  Mr. Conrad and I, both!  Imagine… Squall Leonheart and Rinoa Heartilly being husband and wife.  Wouldn't the two countries be so pleased?  Such a perfect couple, such a perfect peaceful unison between Galbadia and Esthar.  Of course… Softening the people's hearts by a model couple.  Not likely… What would Trabia do without a weapon department?"

At that moment, though, Irvine came from the 'secret passage'.  The little angel statue holding a wine glass (To the untrained eye it was merely a decoration for this authentic study) shifted to the side and the gunman shot at Mr. Tribal's revolver-armed hand … hitting with amazing aim, sending the gun flying out of his hand.

"Oh yeah, baby!  Who's got the aim?" Irvine did his own little victory dance, tipping his cowboy hat to the front, leaning his precious 'Exeter' on his shoulder.

"And who's got the little confession on tape!" Zell jumped into the room from outside the door, throwing his fists in the air, one that held a tiny device known as a tape recorder.

Seifer entered through the same door and picked up the dropped gun.  Tribal's bleeding hand caused him much anguish as he cried out in pain.  Melvin had gotten to a semi-standing position; unsure if helping his father was a good idea.

Quistis and Selphie came in as well, and the seven young adults all bore the same triumphant expression on their faces.

Caraway turned to Tribal, "Since this has finally been resolved, I'm calling officials.  Dincht, give me that tape; I'll take care of the rest.  You…" He looked at Squall with such menace in his eyes that the mighty Leonheart would have cowered in a corner at that moment.

Caraway brought back his fist and landed it right on Squall's jaw.  Squall stumbled back and winced in pain, "Dad!" Rinoa cried out.

The General ignored her; "You dare kiss my daughter in my face like that again I will not let you live." He grabbed the tape from Zell, escorted Melvin and his father out of the room and left himself.

"Uh… Well, it was for the best Squall.  Everything's fine now, right?" Seifer laughed nervously as Squall advanced towards him.

"So who's hair-brained scheme landed me a fist on my jaw?" Squall hissed.

Irvine put a gloved hand on Squall's shoulder and reminded him, "And got you your girlfriend back?"

***

"That's it, we're done!  Sweet, sweet, sweet success at last!" Quistis cried out in Squall's dorm.  The party of seven had decided to shield Squall from General Caraway for the time being and… Have a little party.

Rinoa rolled her eyes, "Not that you did much, Quistis."

"Yeah, _we _got you and Squall back together.  So I think we deserve a tad bit of credit." Selphie hopped around the living room of Squall semi-apartment, semi-high classed dorm.

"Well, I say cheers to Rinoa and Squall who acted amazingly and through the midst of it all… Found each other, with a little of our help.  Then cheers to the remaining five, who had the courage to help them find each other, because Hyne knows how both of you are stupid, stubborn mules sometimes." Seifer held up his can of Coke up high.

To this, everyone had to say, "Cheers!"

***

It was the wee hours of the morning when finally, Seifer and Quistis decided to depart.  Everyone else had gone.

"I'm guessing you won't need a ride, Rinoa?" Seifer grinned maliciously, raising his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

"No, she won't." Squall shoved Seifer out of the dorm, "So you can stop doing the freaky eyebrow thing."

"Have fun…" Quistis giggled and Rinoa couldn't help but roll her eyes.  

Squall laughed a sarcastic 'ha-ha' and then shut the door in both their faces.  He turned to Rinoa and couldn't help wrapping his arms around her.

"Finally…" A tiny smile was tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Mmhmm…" She murmured and said, "I'm so glad this thing is over."

"Yeah…" He pressed his lips against her own and kissed her softly.  

A scuffling sound could be heard, and the kiss broke off awkwardly as they turned to look at Quistis … who had entered the dorm once again.

Tears were forming at the corners of her eyes, "You guys are so adorable when you kiss like that…"

"Quistis, what the hell are you still doing here?" Rinoa's aggravated tone uttered Squall's thoughts.

"Oh… Sorry…" Quistis grinned awkwardly, "I just… Forgot my bag." She scampered around the room, found her purse and left but… Not before saying her final word, "I'll be expecting to hear about _this_ tomorrow…" She winked and darted out the door.

Squall closed it, annoyed, and this time he locked it.  Needless to say, Rinoa didn't go back to Deling city that night.  

Sammy: Hee hee hee … the nineteenth chapter is up!  *Collective groans from the audience* Buuut, you all knew that apparently.  So yeah, **THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER**!  So I really hoped you liked this chapter… It is currently 12:30 A.M. and I think I'm going to die on the keyboard… Well, not die… Just fall asleep.  Please review, please review!  I've done my duty as an author and I have written.  It is only custom that you do your job as a reader and review… *Grins* Anyways, you don't even have to do a full review.  Type in 'A' to say 'That was the best!'  Type in 'B' to indicate that 'It was good.' Type in 'C' to inform me that 'This was average' and type in 'D' to tell me 'This chapter sucked so bad that I think I'm going to puke.'  Thank you all very much and keep in tune for the twentieth and FINAL chapter.

Beta's Note: I can see a certain resemblance in the last line…. Saaaam? Bah, whatever. 


	20. Unforgettable Promises

Disclaimer: If I owned FF8 I'd be rich, powerful and own pretty cars and cool houses.  I don't own FF8.

Chapter 20: Unforgettable Promises 

A three-year-old brunette waddled across the room in a mist of confusion.  Her adorable white dress swaying with her every motion as she shuffled through a crowd of people, their faces, she did not remark for she was short and only noticed the color of their pants.

In her chubby little hand she held a velvety brown teddy bear.  Her mother had given it to her, informing her that she herself had received it from the toddler's father.  Recognizing the polished black shoes and the SeeD uniform pants, the little brunette tugged at the pants.

The much taller man peered down at her, grinned and picked her up in his strong arms.  His stormy blue eyes matched her own.  "Hey sunshine." 

The toddler smiled and hugged her father's neck, "Mommy's talking with Auntie Quistis and Auntie Selphie."

At the mention of the first name, the blond haired man next to the girl's father seem to withdraw himself in a deep pensive mood.  Her father smiled, "Ok. Where's Kevin?"

"I don't know." She pouted, "He went off with Steve… They're probably up to no good." She warned him.  _Adorable_, simply adorable.  Her chubby cheeks were flushed; her dark blue eyes were set… A typical little angel.

The dark haired man grinned to his blond friend, "Wouldn't you like to have one of your own?" His voice was taunting, but in it resonated deep concern and sympathy.

"Yeah… I just got to find the right woman." Her Uncle Seifer grinned and patted the father on the back.  "You know… You're lucky.  Don't take it for granted."

"Sometimes what you're looking for is right where you left it." Squall sighed and Seifer walked away, shaking his head in a passive way.

Her father turned back his attention to 'his sunshine', "So, Riana, you want to go see mommy?"

***

"Come on, Rinny!" A hyper 25-year-old bounced around in her chair.  "I need a pregnancy partner!"

"Hell _no_." A darker haired woman responded; her chocolate eyes rolled in her head in annoyance, "I've gone through labor twice, I will not go through that again."

"Yeah, _I _was there… She looked like she was about to die.  You've only had one, Selph." A taller, blonde smirked at the memory.

"What would _you_ know?  You don't know the _pain_ that comes with the second one.  The stupid doctor wouldn't give me the _goddamn _drugs." At the bad memories the one named Rinny seemed to tense up in anger.

Her two friends began to giggle helplessly and the blond one stated, "I'm actually surprised _Squall_ made it through…"

"Made it through what?" The tall brown haired man had made his way through the crowd to his wife.

"Rinoa's labor." Selphie smirked and began bouncing in her chair anew.

Memories flooded back to him, his smile was replaced by a slight frown and his wife countered, "I wasn't that bad!"

"Um… No, that's right… She wasn't that bad." He was a terrible liar.

She rolled her eyes, "This proves you felt no pain."

"Hey, I was quite frightened by your behavior." Squall frowned slightly.

The toddler, oblivious and uncaring to what the adults are talking about, reaches out her arms from her father to her mother.  She is tired; her eyelids are heavier than they were at the beginning of the evening.

The Exquisite Lobster is filled with important political figures.  The New Year's party.  The little one ignores the fact that it is where her parents first met.

"Squall, she's tired… Where's Kevin?" Rinoa asks worriedly.

"Probably gone with my son." Selphie informed, "I've got to find Irvine." She got up from her chair and before shuffling out into the crowd, she gave both her friends a hug and nudged Squall in the gut grinning, "Get her pregnant!"

Rinoa was now holding the sleeping Riana and Squall took a seat next to her.  Quistis smiled slightly, "You know… She looks really exhausted, you want me to go find Kevin?"

"Don't go out of your way." Rinoa replied, "He's bound to show up after he's spiked the punch with Tabasco sauce."

Quistis grinned and said sarcastically, "Hmm, I wonder who he takes after."

"Rinoa…" Squall breathed nervously, "Your dad is giving me _that look_ again."  At this, Quistis erupted into laughter.

"Gee honey, it might have something to do with getting me pregnant at twenty.  Or maybe even that whole 'You-Nearly-Got-Us-All-Killed-With-That-Little-Acting-Scene'.  Oh, there's also that time…" Rinoa's voice trailed on.

"Yeah, ok… I get it, he hates me." Squall threw up his arms in defeat, "I really think we've made more than an appearance here, can we go now?"

Quistis enjoyed watching them bicker.  She knew that their relationship was strong and that these inoffensive arguments were just another way of communicating.  

"Consider the punch bowl spiked with hot sauce, here comes Kev." Quistis grinned.

The five year old, brown haired and dark eyed boy whined, "I'm tired."

"Yeah, we're going." His parents responded in unison.

***

Quistis and Seifer walked around the marble halls for a while in a calming silence.  Seifer finally decided to speak.

"I've been thinking.  I mean… Quistis, I told you commitments scare me…" Seifer started.

Quistis held her breath.  "Yeah… You have."

"And they do… But, I look at Squall and Rinoa… And Selphie and Irvine.  They're happy, right?"

She was beginning to swim in confusion, "Yeah, they're all happy… Why?"

"Well… I'm happy too, when I'm with you.  So… I thought that, you know, we should… Get married or something." He shrugged his shoulders and looked away, his cheeks red with embarrassment.

To Quistis, a marriage proposal couldn't have been better.

***

"Selphie expecting." Rinoa informed, "She will soon feel the pain."

"You don't regret any of it… Do you?" Squall asked, fairly worried.

She smiled and shook her head, "No, I don't regret anything." She turned to the backseat where both the children, Kevin and Riana, were sleeping peacefully.

Squall drove carefully and occasionally gave sideways glances at his wife, "You know, I don't regret anything either."

She smiled, she knew this, but to hear it from his mouth was always comforting, "Zell wasn't at the party tonight."

"Nope…" Squall grinned, "He spent his New Year's eve with this librarian that he's dating.  Pretty interesting, huh?"

"I'll have to mock him next time I see him…" Rinoa smiled.

***

Squall shut his son's bedroom door quietly behind him.  Rinoa had already put Riana to bed and changed from her beige dress to jogging pants and a t-shit.

"What are you doing?" Squall asked; an eyebrow arched in confusion.

"I'm not that tired.  Let's go watch T.V." Rinoa suggested, took his hand and began leading him downstairs.  

"Oh no…" Squall grinned mischievously, "If you aren't tired, I've got other plans for you." He pulled her back towards him and kissed her.

Rinoa smirked, "Yeah well… _Maybe I'm not in the mood._"

"If I do the dishes tomorrow, walk the dog, take out the trash, and clean the basement… Will that _put you in the mood_?" He poked fun at her.

She seemed to ponder this for a moment and then added, "And vacuum the living room, clean your study, and make me breakfast?"

He grinned and kissed her again, "For you?  I'd do anything."

Sammy: Wow… I'm done this fic.  I'm very proud of myself… *Pats herself on the back* Hee hee… So I hope you like it, I know it was corny and soap-operaish but hey… Who doesn't like some good fluff once in a while?  Please review and I really appreciate all of you who read this fic.  Thank you to all who supported me throughout my… Twenty chapters!  All the reviews were wonderful!  *Claps happily* But… Please don't forget to review?  Hee hee…

Beta's Note: So sometimes I take the time to write one these… And other times I don't. *Screams* Ah! That's the second time that my leg fell asleep. Right. Anyways, as I was saying before I began to complain, I can't believe that another story has become complete. I really did like to edit… Even if I did complain about the homonyms…. But that's beside my point. Anyways, we did have fun thinking up the various ways we could torture Sarah… Even when half the ideas got scraped…. *tear* I'm gonna miss it! And… Wait a minute! This story's not dead! So we celebrate! TTYL! *Begins to Sing along with the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Can't Stop* I love that song!!!!!!!! 


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